Harry Potter and The God of Death
by ryanledford90
Summary: A new threat hangs over the entire Wizarding World. Harry Potter now an alcoholic and potions addict is called on by Neville and Hermione to help them solve a gruesome string of murders. With the help of an old foe looking to restore his family's honor can Harry keep himself together long enough to put the pieces together and save the few people he still has left?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Something something I don't actually own Harry Potter.

The sun was setting in Hove in the county of East Sussex in England. The town was alive with people. Everyone was trying to get to their destination for the night. Some people were on their way home and others were on their way out for the evening. Tucked behind a large church off of a busy street was a small dingy alleyway. An alleyway that most people paid no mind to. They walked by it every day and never looked down it. If you tried to point it out most people would just shrug it off and not give it a second thought. The reason why the people who walked by it, the people on either side of it, and even the town workers and planners who mapped the town acted like it didn't exist was because of magic. That alleyway was home Kettlebell Corner. Kettlebell Corner was a small shopping place magically tucked away between the church and several shops. It only consisted of a few streets small when compared to something like Diagon Alley in London.

If someone was paying close attention to the alleyway at this moment they would be rightly confused. One moment the alleyway was empty completely void of any life. Nothing but a pair beat up metal trash cans pushed up to the dirty brick wall. Then out of nowhere a group of men and woman appeared out of thin air.

"Everyone alright?" A tall man asked as he brushed some dust off the sleeves of his crimson robes. Everyone around him wore the same colored robes.

"I'm alright Neville," a shorter man replied with a thick Irish accent.

Neville turned to look at the witches and wizards around him. Neville was the Captain of this Auror Squad. The man who had spoken to him was a classmate from Hogwarts Seamus Finnigan. The Irishman was about 5'6 with brown hair cropped short. A thick brown beard covered his face. Next to him was Dean Thomas the tallest member of the squad standing at 6'3 with a long neck.

"I hate ruddy portkeys." The comment came from Anthony Goldstein. His blond hair hung just above his eyes blue eyes and down to his shoulders.

"Stop your whining Tony." Jamie Telling huffed as she tied her brown hair into a bun. She shot him a glare as she tried to smooth out her robes.

"Yeah we all hate em." Katherine said her auburn hair was cut short and her dull green eyes were staring back at the annoying blonde.

Neville rolled his eyes. Anthony was definitely a capable Auror and though his attitude and arrogance had leveled out over the years he was still a bit obnoxious. "Come on you lot remember what we're dealing with here." Neville said in a soft but commanding voice. Neville had changed the most since Hogwarts. No longer chubby Neville was a tall lean man. His short brown hair which stuck up a bit off his forehead. His face now lean and showing off a thick jaw line that was covered in brown stubble. At 21 years old he was the second youngest squad captain in the history of the Aurors.

Neville looked up into the orange and pink sky and resisted the urge to sigh. This was the seventh call they had gotten in just three weeks. Neville brought his attention to the section of brick in between the two battered trash cans. With a flick of his wrist a long wand shot out from his right sleeve. Neville lifted the wand and tapped the trashcan to the right of him. Then three bricks to the left, two bricks down, and finally the left trash can. Unlike Diagon Alley the bricks didn't move away the wall remained perfectly intact.

"Come on then." Neville stepped forward and walked straight through the wall. The wall stood between the alley and a shop on the other side. A small gap in between the wall and the building is where they were headed. The remainder of his team followed him through the wall behind him. Shoved into the small gap in between the wall and a shops on the other side was Kettlebell Corner. Magical wards covered the alley allowing it to fit in between the small three foot gap in between the wall and the shop. Following the small gap in between the wall and the buildings on the other side you would see even smaller gaps in between the buildings. Tucked in there with Kettlebell's side streets.

Neville emerged from the other side facing a large shop made of old bricks. Telly's Magical Confections. A small display window was visible on the building. In the display window there were several Chocolate Frogs jumping around. Neville could see Cockroach Clusters, Licorice Wands, and several other sweets. Hanging up on the side was a picture of a smiling little girl wide eyed. Her head would turn and sweep the shop in the picture her blond curls bouncing. Neville stared at the picture for a moment his face neutral. The girl seemed so happy her eyes seemed to shine.

"You coming boss?" Anthony asked as he started forward down the street. The rest of the squad had come threw and was heading down the main pathway.

"Yeah." Neville said as he turned to follow after them. Neville kept his eyes forward as he looked down the sparse street. Officers from The Department of Magical Law Enforcement had done a good job clearing the streets. A few sparse groups of Wizards and Witches dotted the streets trying to wrap up their shopping. Each small side street only had a enough room for about two or three shops.

"Is everything okay with the Captain?" Jamie asked Seamus in a whispered tone. She glanced back her brown eyes darting over to Neville who was bringing up the rear to the left letting Anthony and Seamus take lead. Jamie was the newest member of the team promoted from the DMLE Magical Patrol Team.

"Yeah he just gets like that sometimes." Seamus whispered back without looking at her. "He's thinkin."

"This is gonna be brutal." Anthony said looking towards the side street coming up. Standing in front of the entrance where two officers from the DMLE in their blue robes. They were standing guard to the entrance.

"Alright team let's get this over with and done right." Neville said as he moved forward to take lead.

"Captain Longbottom." one of the officers said nodding her head. Neville nodded back and walked by her and her partner.

Neville started down the darkening alleyway now lit up with magical blue flames. The sun was continuing to set and the sky was getting darker. The bright pinks and had faded into deep reds. This side street had no shops on it. Just a row of dumpsters. Towards the end of the alley where three more officers in their blue robes. There was another person in black robes with their hood pulled up. The person was also wearing a slick black mask that looked like it was made of oil. There were slits where for the eyes and nose. The mask which looked like it was more liquid than solid had folds in it. These folds created groves and lines to form of a basic blank face on the surface.

"God damn it." Neville cursed to himself. It was an Unspeakable from the Department of Mysteries. Unspeakables usually did their own thing in their little basement doing research into all types of magic and all types of questionable experiments. Neville thought back to his fifth year at Hogwarts, and shuddered. He could still remember how those brains had wrapped their tentacles around Ron's arm. Questionable experiments and research aside they had other tasks too. Mostly playing loyal lap dogs to the Minister. Every once and a while one of them would come up and make a bunch of noise. Making it harder for the people who actually did real work to keep things on track.

Neville and his group of Aurors came closer to the scene. "Dean and Katherine start doing a sweep for trace magical activity. Seamus and Jamie you two start searching for any physical clues. Anthony with me."

"Got it boss." Seamus said as he pulled Jamie to the side and drew his wand.

"Surething," Dean mumbled softly as he stood back and let the group go ahead of him. Katherine stayed back as well and drew her wand.

"Think we'll actually find something this time?"

"Probably not no." Dean said as he sighed heavily. He was just happy he didn't have to go up and see the bodies this time. The other times still woke him up at night. Dean suddered. This had been going on for weeks...in the UK.

Neville continued forward his eyes locked onto the Unspeakable. "I see you crawled out of your little hidey hole to come up and play." Neville said harshly as he stared into the empty black void. He couldn't see the Unspeakable's eyes. Where the slits where there was just darkness. "Come up here to fuck everything up? Gonna write down everything we do and tell the Minister that we're inadequately doing our jobs?"

"We wouldn't have to get involved if you and your people were performing your jobs adequately." The Unspeakable said back calmly. Their voice was distorted due to the magic of the mask. Whoever they were they sounded neither male or female.

"How did you hear about this already?" Neville spat back glaring at the Unspeakable. Anthony was standing behind Neville glaring at the Unspeakable as well.

"I was on my way out and figured I'd come take a look at it myself. I'm sick of reading the reports that never have any answers."

"The case is yours if you want it." Neville said his fists clenched. The Unspeakable didn't respond. "That's what I thought. If you don't want to do it then let me do my job. You three," Neville said peeling his eyes from the shadowy figure and onto the three officers in blue. "Any witnesses?"

"No Captain Longbottom." A tall man with thinning grey hair answered. It seemed like he was the senior officer.

" Did you touch the bodies?"

"N-no sir."

"Move them?"

The man shook his head.

"Did you do anything productive at all?" Neville asked looking away as he shifted his eyes downward. Neville didn't bother to listen to whatever the man said. Neville was starting to get irritated. It was bad enough this was going on but now the Unspeakables where showing up to _his_ crime scenes. "Goldstein start your diagnostics."

Neville crouched down and looked forward over the scene. He clenched his teeth so hard he felt like they were going to shatter. Over a dozen body parts were strewn across the street. The clothes seemed to have been ripped from them and discarded somewhere else. By Neville's count there were at least two victims this time. Pale naked flesh was scattered around carelessly thrown about. Two heads were on opposite sides for the street. Both blond and both young barely older than Neville himself. It was two sisters by the look of it. The scene could almost be mistaken as an art exhibition.

"Once again not a drop of blood anywhere." Anthony said softly as he made his way around the scene with his wand.

"No wands either." An officer said softly. "We looked everywhere."

"I'm shocked." Neville said without looking up. Shuffling forward Neville tilted his head and squinted. "Anthony?"

"It's the same as before. No blood, no sweat, no tears, no trace magic anywhere on the body." Anthony was squatting sweeping his wand over the ground.

"The bodies don't have any magic either."

"What?" Neville asked his brown eyes flicking up to look at the Unspeakable.

"This case has piqued our interest. Your people in the DMLE have been consulting us on the autopsies. We've ran our checks we haven't found a single bit of magic in the victims. Even after death their magic should linger for years."

"We're sure they aren't muggles?" Neville asked as he stood up. Keeping his eyes on the bodies.

"Yes the first two victims were identified as wizards from France." The Unspeakable said as they moved around closer to Neville. "Haven't you been reading the reports?"

"My job isn't to figure out who they are and where they came from. My job is to find who killed them. Doesn't matter to me if anyone claims the body."

"Narrow thinking then. Unsurprising coming from an Auror." The Unspeakable seemed to glare at Neville through the mask. "I thought you were better than that Captain Longbottom. Pretty much every muggle officer would laugh in your face right now."

"Narrow thinking huh? Don't have to take off that mask to show me who you are." Neville said with a cocked eyebrow. "The way you laude yourself over us like you're so much better. Not much has changed from Hogwarts. You're still just a know it all."

The Unspeakable went to step forward as if to get into Neville's face before stopping. "Not as stupid as I look then. Even for an Auror." Neville was smirking at the Unspeakable.

"Captain." Neville looked towards Anthony with a cocked eyebrow. "I think we're good here. Not much else we can get from the scene."

"Tell the team to call it a night. We'll meet first thing in the morning." Neville turned to walk away resisting the urge to shout at the Unspeakable. "Make sure the files on all of the victims are on my desk tomorrow morning." Neville commanded reluctantly. The Unspeakable was right. He had made a mistake, and he needed to make sure there weren't anymore hiding away. Neville walked by the rest of his team without sparing them another look. Neville made it out to the entrance of the alleyway before turning on heel and disappearing with a crack.

"What happened?" Katherine asked as they all grouped up at the end of the alleyway. She looked down to where the bodies where and saw the Unspeakable crouching down much like Neville had been.

"If that's who I think it is. There's some history there." Anthony said as he glanced back down at the Unspeakable. "They used to be friends...but you know with everything and time…" Anthony trailed off he didn't want to get into it. He didn't have the facts and if Katherine or Jamie said something to the Captain it'd be his head. "First thing in the morning all." Anthony said before walking off to the entrance.

"I could go for a few pints after this one." Seamus said softly. He was running his hands through his coarse brown beard.

"Me to mate." Dean said as he glanced back at the bodies and resisted the urge to grimace. "Wanna join us?" Dean was looking between Katherine and Jamie.

"Sure I'm down for a drink or six." Jamie replied with a sigh.

"Not tonight boys sorry." Katherine said as she stretched and walked off.

"Alright then meet you all at the Cauldron in about 15." With that Seamus didn't even bother walking to the alleyway entrance he just turned, and was gone with a crack. Dean and Jamie followed suit.

* * *

Neville actually hadn't gone to far. He was a few streets over at a muggle magazine booth. His crimson robes where now a deep red pea coat. Underneath was a pair of black jeans and a black long sleeved sweater. It wasn't too cold since it was June but the air had a bit of a nip. "Can I get 20 Marlboro Lights?" Neville asked softly as he pulled out a few muggle bills. The man behind the counter reached under and pulled up a pack of Cigarettes. " A lighter too actually." Neville said as he peeled the bills a part and left them on the counter.

Picking up the cigarettes and lighter Neville left not worrying about the change and started walking down the sidewalk. It wasn't nearly as crowded as London but there were still quite a few people on the street. Neville stopped in front of a cafe with seats outside and he sat down. Peeling off the wrapper Neville opened the pack and withdrew a cigarette from the pack. He stuck it between his lips and stared down at it cross eyed. He thought about it for a minute. There was a part of him that was telling him not to do it. _'I'll only have a couple,'_ he thought to himself as he sighed and lifted the lighter to the end and lit it.

A few muggleborns in training had introduced Neville to cigarettes back when he started almost three years ago. Neville hadn't picked up the habit full time, but it was tempting. Neville leaned his head back and closed his eyes as he took a drag on the cigarette. With a small sigh Neville exhaled a small cloud of smoke. Days like today though he'd stop off before going home for the evening. He'd buy a pack find a small cafe with outside seating and smoke a few. Unfortunately days like today where becoming more and more frequent. Neville lifted the cigarette back to his lips and took another drag.

"Hello Luv," Neville opened his eyes and looked up. A kind middle aged woman with dirty blonde hair was smiling down at him. She had a purple apron tied around her waist over her white blouse. "Can I get you something?" Neville sighed and gave her a small smile.

"Yeah. Can I get a coffee with milk?" Neville asked as adjusted himself in the seat and looked at her. Neville's eyes flicked past her shoulder and he resisted the urge to frown. "I'll need tea too."

"How'd you like darling?"

"White I think." Neville responded taking another drag from his cigarette. The waitress flashed him a smile.

"Back in a second."

Neville nodded and watched as she walked away and back into the cafe. Neville's eyes slide back over to the other side of the street. This time he didn't bother to resist and he gave a scowl worthy of Snape. Across the street was woman with her arms crossed. She was average height about 5'6 with a thin figure. She didn't have wide hips or large breasts but she had lithe figure. She was staring Neville down with a look that could scare most grown men. Her dark chocolate brown eyes were boring into his as she moved to cross the street. Her formally bushy brown hair had been cut short in the style of the former Madam Bones. A small wisp of hair covered her forehead and her hair stopped at the nape of her neck. Neville took a final drag from his cigarette.

"Know it all? Really?"

"Hello Hermione," Neville said softly as he grabbed an ashtray with his finger slide it to the center of the table. Neville stuffed the cigarette out and leaned back in his chair. Neville watched as Hermione angrily pulled out the chair across from him and sat down with huff.

"You're going to come at me for your fuck up?" Hermione asked angrily. Her brown eyes seemed to shine as she bore into him.

"You called me out in front of my men. Came to my crime scene. You had no business being there. If you or your _department_ had an issue with how this was being handled you come to me in private."

"You're the one who can't figure this out. If you just put a little more thoug-" Hermione was interrupted by the waitress.

"Oh hello dear, here you go." She set the tea down in front of Hermione before setting Neville's coffee down in front of him. "Anything else dears?"

"No thanks." Hermione said with a tight smile. She waited for the waitress to leave before turning back to Neville. "If you just put a little more thought into this case you'd figure it out. Instead of brushing it off. Honestly Neville you need to take this seriously. People are dying."

"You don't think I'm taking this seriously? Really that's what you think. You know for all those brains you can be bloody fucking ignorant sometimes." Neville roughly rubbed his mouth with his hands. "Everything I've done for the past however many weeks has been to figure this out. It's all I think about. You know this is why, this is why they," Neville stopped for a second and leaned back his head shaking. He sneered at Hermione almost snarling. "This is why everyone is done with you. Where are your friends? The Golden Trio is done with, and this is why." Neville ran his hands through his hair and clenched his fists. "You look down on all of us from some moral high ground."

"How dare you." Hermione spat with a whisper. That whisper though might as well have been a loud echoing yell.

"No! How dare you! Judging us day in and out. Disappointed in everyone that doesn't do things the Granger way. Like you're so above us; so morally superior. You make all the right choices. You never fuck up. It's why you and me are done. Even your parents can't stand you."

"Fuck you." Hermione said softly. She leaned back and crossed her arms. Hermione had a hundred of things to say, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. She wanted to yell and scream. She wanted to throw this tea right in Neville's face. It didn't happen often but Hermione was so upset she was at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry. I crossed a line just there." Neville said softly as he looked at Hermione. If Neville didn't know better he'd say she was about to cry. Neville knew though that Hermione Granger didn't cry. Not anymore. Neville reached down and drew another cigarette from the pack. Hermione reached over and did the same. Neville handed her the lighter and waited as she lit hers. He resisted the urge to chuckle when she coughed.

"These will kill you." Hermione wheezed as she exhaled. She blew the smoke over the tip of the cigarette causing it to glow.

"I know...you've told me a hundred times." Neville said softly. "I don't think I was wrong. I'm just saying I went to far."

"Yeah I know how you feel. You made it pretty clear when you dumped me." Hermione said as she took another drag. "How's Susan?"

"She's doing fine." Neville said as he took a sip from his coffee and another drag from his cigarette. "You'd think with 4 billion other women out there I'd end up dating someone who didn't go to Hogwarts. Funny isn't it how Hogwarts students all seem to end up dating. What are the odds."

"Who knows." Hermione said with a small laugh. "Guess I don't know it all." She smirked at him.

"Ha," Neville chuckled a bit. "I did fuck up. I should've checked the reports." Neville took another drag and looked out across the street. "I can't figure this one out Hermione. I need him."

"Have your reached out?"

"Yeah he refused." Neville let out a smoke filled sigh, "he has a gift for this."

"I wouldn't call it a gift." Hermione was staring at the end of her cigarette. "I doubt he'd see anything we didn't."

"You don't know that."

"Neville, please I haven't seen him in almost two years." Hermione said as she looked up at him. "I don't want to see him."

Neville finished his coffee and stood up. He slipped a few pounds out of his pocket. Neville took one last drag and tossed his cigarette into the street. "Just ask him for me please Hermione. People are dying. Harry might actually be able to be useful for a change. I know you don't owe me, but please just ask him." Neville laid the bills down and started to walk off. He stopped and placed an arm on her shoulder. Leaning down Neville placed a small kiss on her head. "Good night." Hermione didn't bother following him with her eyes.

Hermione stood there staring at her burning cigarette. She was wondering where everything had gone so wrong. Didn't she do everything right? Hermione took another drag from the cigarette before dropping it into the ashtray. Standing up she started down the street not looking back.

* * *

Hunched over a glass coffee table the man was holding a thin vial of purple potion. With shaky hands he broke off the wax cap and brought it to his lips and drank it. Once he was finished he lifted his head and let out a loud content moan. Reaching over with thin fingers and picked up cigarette. He took the filtered end of it and pressed it into the vile the cotton soaked up what was left. Sticking it between pale lips he clicked his fingers and the end ignited. Getting up he stretched and walked over to the fireplace mantel across from him. Atop of the oak mantel was a glass decanter filled with a rich amber colored whiskey. He opened it with a small pop and filled a short square glass with the liquid.

The man looked up into the small mirror on the mantel and studied himself. His dark raven hair was long and wild. It hung down to his shoulders and in his face. A dark scraggly beard covered his face and hung down from his chin. Emerald eyes that were once bright and shined with life where dull and staring back at him through square framed glasses. He lifted a pale thin hand and lifted up his dark hair. On his forehead was a pale pink scar in the shape of a lightning bolt.

"Master Harry!" A small feminine voice called out. Harry turned and looked down at the small elf that had come into the room. Winky a former Hogwarts House Elf. Winky at one point had been the Crouch Family House Elf before being set free. She worked in the Hogwarts kitchens until Harry had bonded her sometime after he joined the Auror academy.

"What?" Harry asked softly as he grabbed his glass and spun towards her. They were in the Black Family Library. It was on the first floor of Grimmauld Place. Winky and Kreacher had fixed the place up for him while he was in the Auror Academy. The snake decor had been removed and the color scheme had been updated to a more modern grey and black. The library was quite large the walls around the fireplace where line with book shelves from the floor to the ceiling. Shelves of books also stood independently in the room. There was a large circular table in the center of the room with comfortable wooden chairs. Across from the fireplace was a black leather couch and coffee table surrounded by two black armchairs.

"Master you needs to eat. Kreacher is ready to make breakfast." Winky said as she shuffled closer to him. She was looking up at him with large eyes. "Please Master it's been almost two days"

"Just a Nutrient Potion will be fine." Harry said as he took a sip of his whiskey. Harry took a drag from his cigarette and started to make his way over to the table. It was covered in several open books and at least a dozen closed ones. Bits of paper covered in Harry's scrawl where left haphazardly all over the desk. Harry was dressed in simple red bath robe and sweatpants. His pale torso was left exposed. He was as skinny as he ever had been. His skin clung to his bones like wet newspaper. With every passing day Harry came closer to resembling his late godfather.

"Master pleas-"

"Just a Nutrient Potion please." Harry reiterated harshly as he exhaled smoke. "Also bring more of the Nervaio Potion." Harry said as he tipped his glass towards the coffee table. The Nervaio Potion was something Harry had been given in the weeks after the war. It was supposed to help him with his nightmares. However things continued to get worse and worse. Soon he started taking them everyday multiple times a day. The truth was that now Harry could barely function without them.

"Yes Master," Winky whispered as she turned her head down to the floor and shuffled out of the room. Harry continued to sip his drink as he made it over the table. With a deep breath Harry shook his head trying to clear it up. Harry flopped down into a chair and pulled the closest open book to him. _Kalligan's Killer Magic_ it was about 100 years old and filled with some of the darkest magic ever created. Harry barely left Grimmauld Place spending most of his time studying all the Dark Magic and Defense Magic he could get his hands on.

"Master." Winky said softly as she appeared next to him. She set down a silver tray with a copy of the Daily Prophet, a vial of the sickly green Nutrient Potion, and a long vial of the purple Nervaio potion.

"Thank you, Winky." Harry reached over and grabbed the Nervaio Potion. In a smooth motion and popped off the wax cap and and downed half of it. He set it back down leaning it up against a book as not to spill the rest. The he reached down and grabbed the Prophet.

 **Two More Bodies Found in Kettlebell Corner**

 _The bodies of two witches were found in Kettlebell Corner on 6/18/2002. These poor young witches seem to be the latest in a long string of gruesome murders. Accounting for the known victims in France and Great Britain this brings the death toll up to 18 in the last two months alone. Currently the Lead Investigator is Auror Captain Neville Longbottom. However an unnamed source did confirm that the Unspeakables were at the latest crime scene. No real progress has been made since Neville Longbottom was assigned to the case. This of course begs the question. Is the young Auror out of his depth? Young Neville Longbottom is without a doubt a hero and a skilled Auror, but with no recent movement on the case we can't help but wonder if this is the right case for the second youngest Auror Captain ever. We reached out to Katherine Moon for a quote, but as of writing this have not received any official comment. The victims were once again found torn apart and drained of their blood. This is consistent with methodology used on previous victims in France. How long does the public have to suffer in silence? At this point in time there hasn't been any movement on the current case and the murderer is still at large. We here at the Prophet believe the people have a right to know how the investigation is going. Maybe it's time for the Unspeakables or Hit Wizards to take over the case….._

Harry through the paper to the side and pulled his book back over to him. _'Must of been the case Neville wanted me to look at.'_ Harry rolled his eyes and flipped the page in his book. Harry didn't have time to solve a simple murder. He was coming back soon, and Harry needed to be ready. Harry finished his whiskey and set the glass down, and flicked his cigarette away from him. The cigarette vanished in mid air Harry didn't bother pulling his eyes from the book.

 _ **Lung Puncturing Curse, Incantation: Molucotura**_

 _This curse is particularly nasty. Not only can it puncture an opponent's lung, but it can do it to several opponents at one time. This curse takes a large amount of power. However power isn't the only thing needed to perform the spell. The wand motion shown below is a circle with a jab through the center. The wand motion needs to be precise if the jabbing motion isn't done through the center of the circle the curse could fail. While performing the curse you need to picture those who you want to be affected by the curse clearly in your mind. Picture them gasping for breath, and focus on your desire to see them suffer, suffocate, and die._

Harry finished the passage and continued to read on the next few pages about the curse. The curse was created by Slovick man in the 1800's and the incantation had a slovik root. Harry read the pronunciation several times as he traced the wand movements with his finger. Harry stood from the table and drew his faithful Holly wand from his robe pocket. With confidence Harry traced a circle in the air and jabbed his wand through the center.

 _"Molucotura,"_ Harry said lazily. A bright flash of orange light erupted from his wand and soared through the library. The light turned into a wide wave of orange magic that splashed against the far wall harmlessly. Harry raised his eyebrows and set his wand on the table. Harry raised his hand and narrowed his eyes. A few seconds passed and nothing happened. Harry grit his teeth and took a deep breath. Drawing his hand back he shoved it forward like he was pushing something. A bright flash of light soared from his palm. It wasn't as bright as before and when it erupted into a wave it wasn't as wide.

Harry snatched his empty glass from the table and made his way back over to mantel. He poured himself another glass of whiskey. Staring at it Harry let his thoughts trail off. ' _Sirius must of stood here at one point.'_ Harry quickly downed the whiskey and poured himself another glass.

Harry could feel his heart beating in his chest. _'Come on, you can do better than that!'_

Harry could feel the words echoing in his head. Harry felt his throat tighten and his mouth dry out.

' _Severus….please.'_ Harry downed the rest of his whiskey with shaking hands. He felt his knees wobble.

' _Look...at...me,'_ Harry was breathing harder now as he pushed himself up off the ledge. He took a step forward and stumbled.

 _Harry was back at Hogwarts. All around him a flurry of spells where whizzing back and forth. Looking around he stumbled forward tripping. His eyes shot down and he made contact with empty brown eyes. Remus was laying on the ground still with his eyes wide. A few feet away was Tonks a small cut on her head covered in dry blood. As Harry's eyes darted around he could see them all. Fred, Colin, Lavender, and dozens more. Everyone lay dead on the ground in the broken Great Hall of Hogwarts._

" _Like what you see Potter?"_

 _Harry turned and was face to face with a monster. A tall thin man with pale bone white skin. The man's face was deformed with unnatural thin lips, and where his nose should be where two slits. Harry stared into the man's scarlet eyes and froze._

" _I won." the man whispered softly. He took a step forward his robes billowing around him like smoke. "You may have killed me Potter, but look at what I did to you." The man chuckled softly it was a menacing noise. It was hollow and empty. He reached out with long spider like fingers and gently clenched Harry's chin. He leaned down his nostrils flaring like a snake's ready to strike. "I killed you." He whispered his hot putrid breath rolled over Harry's face. "I killed everything you were. Soon I'll be back for your life."_

"Master Harry! Master Harry! Master Harry!"

Harry gasped as he tried to catch his breath. He was on the floor of the living room on his hands and knees. His body shined with a thin coat of sweat sticking to his skin. Harry's arms shook as he tried to keep his body up. His throat was throbbing. Harry felt his arms give in and he let himself fall to the floor. Harry rolled over to his back and looked around. The library was a mess. The books had been blasted off the shelves and the tables were turned over. Harry could see a chair that had been torn apart scattered around the room.

"Master Harry," Harry turned to see Kreacher and Winky staring at him. Harry lifted himself up and backed up to the wall.

"Potion," Harry said as he tried to catch his breath. His heart was still pounding away in his chest. It was so loud he was sure they could hear shuffled forward and produced a vial of the purple potion. Harry quickly broke the cap and downed it in one swallow. The effects washed over him like a cool breeze. Within seconds his breathing evened out and his hands stopped shaking.

"Master," Kreacher said softly as he held out Harry's cigarettes. Harry took them and quickly pulled one out with his lips. Before he could do anything Kreacher snapped his fingers and Harry's cigarette ignited.

"Thank you, Kreacher." Harry said as he exhaled the smoke. "I didn't mean to startle you two." Harry said softly as he took another drag.

"Oh no no no don't say yous sorry Master Harry." Winky said as she came forward. "It's okay we is fine." Winky was wringing her hands together. "We is gonna clean this up Master Harry. Maybe you should take a bath and relax."

"Don't tell the Master what to do!" Kreacher spat at Winky as he glared at her.

"Kreacher it's okay." Harry said as he started to stand. "I think I will take a bath actually. Take your time in here I think I'm gonna get some sleep."

"Thats a good idea Master." Winky said as she started rushing around and picking up books.

"When's the last time I slept?" Harry asked as he started to move forward.

"The day before last Master." Kreacher said softly.

"Yeah I could probably use some sleep then." Harry made his way to the Library entrance and took one last look around the destroyed room and left.

 **A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter of this story. Though I've written before this is the first time in a long time I've worked on a project so seriously. If you have any feedback that would be great. Thanks everyone!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Something something I don't actually own Harry Potter.

 _5:52_ Hermione stared at the dull green numbers glowing softly in the darkness. Hermione closed her eyes and turned over onto her back. If she could fall asleep now she'd still manage a couple of hours before having to get up. Hermione was lying in her bed and had been for almost six hours now. She had literally spent the night tossing and turning. She had tried sleeping on her side, back, stomach, and even gave the couch a try. Hermione slid her arms behind her head. Flashes of the previous day floated behind her eyelids. Body parts scattered around the alley, Neville's team, the cafe.

"UGH!" Hermione let out a frustrated yell and sat up. Turning her head towards her nightstand she resisted the urge to scream _5:54_. "Bugger it." Hermione muttered as she kicked off the covers and got out of bed. Hermione had on a pair of soft blue pajama pants and a thin white tank top. Hermione turned on the bedside lamp and shuffled dejectedly over to the door. Hermione's room hadn't changed much since she was 11. The full size bed sat pressed against the right wall in the center. With two nightstands on either side. She had a small balcony on the far end of her room with a chair. There was of course three bookshelves on pressed to the wall across from her bed. A small closet was straddled by two bookshelves on the left and one to the right.

Hermione pulled open her door roughly and stepped out into the hallway. Her eyes glanced to the left down the hallway where her parents used to sleep. Every morning Hermione couldn't help but look down there when she woke up and before bed at night. As Hermione walked through the hallway her eyes glanced over at the photos hanging on the wall in their frames. Photos of her parents wedding, her first day of muggle school, their first visit to Diagon Alley. All of it was evidence that at one point a happy family must of lived here. That was no longer the case.

Hermione's parents had sold their home under the influence of her memory charm about 5 years ago. Nothing had been the same since. After the war Hermione had found her parents and fixed their memories. Even after explaining everything to them they were still upset at her. Hermione couldn't blame them of course she had stolen their memories from them. They had spent a whole year not even knowing they had a daughter. Memory Charms where tricky things. It's not like Hermione was able to hit a reset button and revert her parents to normal. They still had the memories she gave them, and then at the same time the memories she took away. To her parents it would seem like they had lived two completely different lifes. Hermione had hoped it would of been easier to get back to normal, but in the last four years she had only seen them twice and talked to them only a handful of times.

Hermione had even bought their old house back hoping they'd come home. They chose to stay in Australia. So now Hermione lived in her childhood home with Crookshanks as her only form of company. Hermione slipped into the kitchen and got started with making herself coffee. Hermione lazily waved her hand and the light switch in the kitchen flipped itself up. Hermione squinted as the bright kitchen lights flooded her vision. Hermione turned on the electric kettle, and started preparing her coffee press. Hermione wasn't in the kitchen long before Crookshanks ran in and hopped up onto the counter.

"Hey there pretty boy," she said softly as she ran her fingers through his coat. "You have a good night?"

Crookshanks pured roughly and pressed his head into the palm of her hand. Hermione continued you pet him as she waited for the water to boil. Hermione stared out of the small window above the sink into her backyard. In the summers Hermione would sit out there under the shade reading spell books and doing her homework. Her father would have summer cookouts on the grill and her mother would garden. The yard used to be lined with her mother's rose bushes and azaleas. Her once bright and cheerful home was now devoid of the most important things that made it home. The once vibrant flower bushes were barely hanging on and practically dead. The grill still sat back there rusted out, and hadn't been touched in years.

Every Morning was the same. She'd get up and make coffee, stare out the window, feed Crookshanks, and try to figure out where it all went wrong. Her parents were gone, Ron had left her, and Harry was slowly destroying himself. She had given up everything to do the right thing. To fight injustice and stand for the something that mattered. She had fought, killed, and watched her friends die. So why did she lose everything? What had that left her with? A decent job? Hermione was alone in the end with no friends and no one who loved her. She woke up, got ready, went to work, came home, ate dinner, tried to sleep, and did it all over again.

Hermione barely noticed the kettle going off. She went about making her coffee as quickly as she could. She dumped a few spoonful of ground up coffee into the press and filled it with the hot water. Hermione finished making her coffee and poured it into the mug. She looked up through the window again before turning away. She went over to the fridge and poured some cream into the steaming dark liquid. Setting the cream into the door she kicked the door shut gently.

Hermione sat down at the small round table in the kitchen and stared at the large stack of files in front of her. All of them were the files related to the murders Neville and his team were investigating. Hermione had brought them home, and combed through them all. Every single page twice. Hoping she'd find something-anything that could help with the case. Neville had asked her to see if Harry would consult on the case the night before. Hermione was trying to find any excuse she could not to. The last time she had seen Harry things hadn't ended well.

* * *

" _Harry!" Hermione shouted as she bangged on the front door. Hermione was standing on the front pouch of 12 Grimmauld Place. She had been kind of shocked when Harry willingly moved into the house his godfather had left him. She had thought it would bring back to many painful memories for him._

" _Harry James Potter! Open this bloody door right now!"_

 _Hermione's arm jerked as the door was opened right as her fist came down to bang on the door. Harry was standing there in his boxers and white t-shirt. His wild hair was messier than usual and there was a dark brown stain on his chest. Hermione wrinkled her nose as the smell of whiskey, smoke, and BO washed over her._

 _"I guess you're just going to stand out there and annoy the piss out of me all day until I let you in…." Harry trailed off and turned around leaving the door open._

 _"You quit your job?" Hermione asked following him in closing the door behind her. Grimmauld Place looked different. Hermione slammed the door shut behind her. Harry had obviously fixed the place up. The peeling wallpaper had been replaced with a dark grey paint. Replacing the carpet was a dark wood. "You're just going to up and quite a few months after you got promoted to Squad Captain?"_

 _"Yeah that's about right, isn't it? That's what I really are the brightest witch of our age." Harry said as he lit a cigarette and walked into the library. Hermione followed him in and stopped short in the doorway. A dozen books were open and left scattered over all the tables in the room. The room was chaotic. The perfect reflection of Harry's state of mind. Open potion bottles were scattered across the room. Joining them where loads of empty cigarette packs and empty bottles of whiskey._

 _"Harry this is getting ridiculous. You need to come with me today." Hermione said as she walked forward. Harry was pouring himself some more whiskey from a decanter on the fireplace mantel. "We don't have to stay here in Britain for treatment. There's Ireland, France, Germany, even America." Hermione's voice was laced with concern as her chocolate eyes darted all over the room. "I'll go with you. Stay with you the whole time. We can just leave together and never come back if that's what you want."_

 _"I don't need treatment," he said as he turned around and took a drink. "What am I doing so wrong? Who am I hurting?" Harry was pale and looked like had lost some weight as she got a closer look at him._

 _"Yourself," Hermione said as she stepped forward. "You're still taking your potion, your drinking, smoking, you quit your job. Harry you're sick. There's something wrong with you; whatever it is it doesn't matter, but we can get you help."_

 _"What happens then? I go see a Doctor and everything's better?" Harry took another drink and pressed the glass to his forehead. "What's going to happen? I'll stop seeing everyone's dead bodies when I close my eyes? Are they going to stop the nightmares? Will they bring everyone back? Can they send me back in time so I can save everyone? What the bloody fuck is a doctor going to do for me!? Except make things worse. Jesus Christ, I can see the headlines_ _ **Potter Committed**_ _a few weeks from that I'll be the next Voldemort. Because these ungrateful fucks don't care about me and my problems. They just want their next sensational headline and juicy bit of gossip!" Harry was shouting now his chest heaving. Harry finished his drink and threw the glass against into the fire place._

 _"You're right Harry. A doctor can't fix all of that. Not overnight, but they can help." Hermione took a few steps forward. "They can get you back onto the right path. Whatever it is you're dealing with you obviously can't handle it on your own."_

 _"I'm on the right path." Harry spat back as he turned to make himself another drink. "You think I'm sitting here just getting wrecked everyday? In the last month I've learned more about magic then I have in the last year. I'm okay here. I don't need a doctor I have Kreacher and Winky. All the money in the world, and enough to do for the next five years." Harry said as he motioned towards the Black Family Library._

 _"That's how you want to live your life Harry? Constantly sucking down Nervaio potions and whiskey to stop yourself from having a nervous breakdown? Locked up here in Grimmauld Place smoking and drinking yourself to death. Is that what you've earned after everything you've done?"_

 _"I lost everything Hermione. I watched everyone who's ever loved me die. I've watched our friends and classmates die. All because I wasn't strong enough to end things sooner. That won't happen next time. You can make all the assumptions you want about me. I'll be ready when he comes back though."_

 _"He isn't coming back Harry. We both know that he's dead and gone. His body is in the Department of Mysteries right now. This is what I'm talking about; Harry you need help. You're paranoid and delusional. You keep saying he's coming back, but he's not." Hermione took another step forward. "What about Ginny? What about me? I love you Harry, and I'm right here. What about Ron? What would he say?"_

 _"Oh yeah?" Harry let out a hollow laugh. "Ginny left me once she realized that war heroes don't come back in one piece,and_ _ **you**_ _want to commit me, and Ron clearly never cared about me or you." Harry took another drink. "You need me right now. I'm a project for the genius Hermione Granger a broken toy to put together and make whole again. You don't love me you just need me so you don't have to face your own bleak life. We're broken goods you and me."_

 _"F-f-fuck you." Hermione whispered as she clenched her fists. "I gave up everything for you. I put my life on the line to stand by your side and support you, and it cost me my family. I lost Ron because of you. He fought by your side too his whole family did. He lost a brother for you and then you just left him alone. So self absorbed in your own problems that you didn't even reach out to him."_

 _"Where the hell were you then? Hogwarts?" Harry asked with a sneer. "If I failed him then so did you. Running off to your precious school and your books. We all failed each other. Grow up Hermione some friendships don't last forever and not everything broken can be fixed. Just because you're alone and hurting due to the choices you made...that doesn't mean you can come in here and just make things better for me. So why don't you prove me right. Just turn around and go home. Prove to me that everyone who ever actually loved_ _ **me**_ _is dead."_

 _"What happened to you? You were so full of love once. Where did this selfish woe is me person come from?"_

 _"Have a safe trip home Hermione." Harry said as he walked over to one of the tables and flipped a page in one of his book. "Give my love to Crookshanks. We both know he's the only one there."_

 _Hermione stood there for 10 minutes and stared at Harry's back. Tears of anger filled her eyes and blurred her vision. "Fuck you," she whispered again as she turned to leave._

 _"Any time just don't expect to stay the night."_

* * *

In retrospect Hermione knew that Harry was just sick, and they were both in the wrong that night. She had no right to blame Harry for what happened to Ron, and Harry had been right about why she was there. Hermione needed him that night. Her parents wanted nothing to do with her, and Ron had left her. She needed Harry to distract her. Harry was exactly what he said he was to her. A broken toy that needed to be made whole. She had gone back a couple of times always intending to go in and speak with him, but never worked up the courage to do so. Hermione looked at the clock and for the first time in this morning felt relieved. It was time to get ready for the day.

Hermione was standing on a grassy hill in Ottery St. Catchpole. She could see The Burrow in the distance through the corner of her eye. Every morning Hermione came by before work. The sun was starting to rise to the east bringing with it deep reds and bright blazing oranges. There was a small cool breeze and the every few seconds it would pick up and the grass would move and shake. Hermione had been coming every morning for over two years now. The tears had stopped a year ago, but that didn't matter.

"Here again dear?"

Hermione turned to see Molly Weasley walking up behind her. Molly had lost quite a bit of weight over the last few years. She was now a bit on the thin side, and her striking red hair now had streaks of grey running through it. She was dressed in a dark red house robe.

"Morning Molly," Hermione said softly as the older motherly witch came up and gave her a tight hug. "Still feels weird calling you that."

"Pish posh." Molly said softly as she walked forward and knelt in down. "If we're not all on first name basis yet who is." It wasn't really a question. Molly reached into her robe pockets and withdrew a peach handkerchief. It was frayed around the edges and worn down. Reaching over she wiped down a dark grey granite headstone. Hermione read the etched letters inlaid with gold:

 _Fred Weasley_

 _04/01/1978-05/02/1998_

 _Honored Hero, Brother, Son and Kind Jester_

"Have you seen him?" Molly asked as she finished wiping the dew from the headstone. About every other morning Molly would come out and meet Hermione, and every time she asked Hermione if she had seen Harry. Hermione almost smiled at the thought. Even after everything the only feeling Molly had for Harry was love. How could Harry be so blind to it?

"No, but I have a feeling I'm going to soon." Hermione said softly.

"He shouldn't blame himself. The poor boy all by himself in that horrid house." Molly said softly as she shuffled over to headstone to the left. It was directly in front of Hermione. This one as a deep maroon colored granite. The words etched into this one just like Fred's was inlaid with gold.

 _Ronald Bilius Weasley_

 _03/01/1980-06/01/1999_

 _Honored Hero, Brother, Son, and Loyal Friend_

Molly was wiping the morning dew from the headstone softly. Hermione could hear her sniffle a bit.

"I feel like I've lost three sons now...he won't even write back."

"It's not you Molly. Ron's death...it did something to him. That was it. After everything else that happened to him that was what broke him."

"I know. I just wish I could help...its just...I don't know what to do. I don't know where I failed them." Molly sniffed loudly and stood up. She quickly wiped her tears with the damp old handkerchief. "I should of been there for Ron, and now I feel like I've given up on Harry."

"You're no more to blame than we are." Hermione said softly. "We both left him. I went to Hogwarts and Harry joined up with the Aurors. We were so concerned about ourselves…." Hermione trailed off.

"Don't say that dear. Ron was living under my roof, and even I didn't see it." Molly turned away from the headstone and reached out and wrapped her hand around Hermione's. "If you see him please tell him to at least owl me, and to go visit that Godson of his. Andromeda says he hasn't been by in almost a year."

"Of course."

Molly squeezed Hermione's hand gently started walking back towards the Burrow. "Oh and if you see Arthur in the office tell him dinner's at six tonight and not a minute later."

Hermione smiled as she watched the Weasley matriarch walk back towards the Burrow. She turned back her dark eyes settling back on the headstone. She couldn't believe it had been two years now. She still remembered the day it happened like it was yesterday.

* * *

 _A loud scream tore through the quite night air in Ottery St. Catchpole. It seemed to come from an oddly tall house. The proportions of the house where off. It looked more like several different houses had been stacked together. There was a long winding dirt pathway that went down a small hill and ended at small iron fence. The fence covered a large perimeter around the house. Right in front of the fence a woman appeared with a small pop. She was dressed in a pair of dark black robes that blended in perfectly with the night shadows around her. Reaching up she pulled off a black mask and slide into one of the inside pockets of the pulled down her hood and bushy brown hair sprang from within it. It fell down over her shoulders and down her back._

 _Hermione had just started at the Department of Mysteries a few weeks ago. Having finished her last year at Hogwarts. Hermione stepped forward and opened the fence door right in front of the dirt path. She was here to see Ron again. She'd been coming every night since school had ended. She had been slightly worried about him. Since the war ended over a year ago he hadn't done much but sit around, and occasionally help George out at the shop. He had turned down every job offer presented to him. Hermione understood of course. Fred had died, and he wanted to take some time off and spend it with his family. It was getting a bit excessive now though. He needed to do something with his life. Another scream this time shriller..slightly younger broke the air. This one Hermione was there for. Hermione felt her heart skip a beat, 'could it be Death Eaters'. Hermione raised her wand and started running to the Burrow. As she ran a sliver otter shot from her wand._

 _"Harry something's wrong at the Burrow!" Hermione shouted as she ran. The otter seemed to take off into the night sky. Hermione ran up the dirt road her heart pounding. A stitch in her chest. 'Please let everyone be okay.' Hermione thought frantically. As Hermione made her way to the front door she threw out her wand. The door blew into the home flying off the hinges._

 _"Mrs. Weasley! Ron!" Hermione shouted!. She looked around the Burrow frantically. The living room was empty. There was a cry from up the stairs. Hermione turned her head towards the stairs and started running up them. "Ron! RON!" Hermione yelled out as she ran up the stairs. Something wasn't right. There wasn't an attack. "GINNY! MRS. WEASLEY!" Hermione shouted as she ran up the stairs. There where screams and wailing echoing through the house. As Hermione climbed up the stairs she tried to calm herself. She tripped on one of the mismatched stairs. Falling on her hands she yelped. Scrambling she slid as she tried to get back to her feet. She slipped and fell again. Hermione clawed her way up the stairs. Hermione crawled up to the fourth floor landing and looked around nothing. Getting to her feet she stood. She quickly turned he ran up the second to last flight of stairs. She made it up her heart was beating so loud it echoed through her head. She turned and went up the last flight up to the fifth floor. Hermione made it onto the fifth floor landing. Turning to the left towards Ron's room she stopped._

 _Mrs. Weasley was crumpled on the floor wailing and crying. Ginny was standing there frozen. Ron was hanging from his ceiling. His feet dangled lifelessly just a few feet off the floor. His pale face was a sick mixture of blue and purple. A thick brown rope was tied in the form of a noose and hung tightly around his neck. He was just hanging there swaying slightly from the commotion in the house._

 _"RON!" Hermione shouted. Her throat was raw. She ran forward wand drawn. With a rough slashing motion the rope was cut. Ron's body hit the ground and crumpled. Mrs. Wesley let out another wail. Hermione rushed forward trying to push past Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. "Ron!" she shouted again. Hermione tripped over Mrs. Weasley and fell face first into the room. Scrambling on her hands and knees Hermione took Ron's head and tried to straighten him out. Hermione's hands shook as she tried to find a pulse. Her mind oblivious to how cold his body was. Hermione pressed her index and middle finger to his neck. "Come on Ron...Come on…" Hermione couldn't feel anything...she couldn't her hand wouldn't stop shaking. Hermione straightened herself out pointed her wand at him. "_ _ **Sileo**_ _," Hermione muttered. A bright white light flashed. Nothing happened. "_ _ **Sileo**_ _," Hermione said this time louder. The light flashed brighter than before. Nothing happened again. Hermione dropped her wand and pressed her lips to Ron's. Hermione took a deep breath through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. She lifted her head up and checked to see if Ron was breathing. He wasn't._

 _"Ron.. please." Hermione said as she leaned down to breath into his mouth again. She got up on her knees and pressed her hand into his chest. Laying her other hand over hers she pressed down. She kept pressing down over and over. "Come on Ron." Hermione stopped and leaned down to breath. Hermione went back to pressing on her chest. "Ron!" Hermione shouted. Hermione got more frantic as she continued to try to save him. "RON! RON!" Hermione shouted as she started to sob. "RON!" Hermione was screaming Rons name as she frantically beat on his and snot were streaming down her face. She was struggling to catch her breath as she sobbed. Hermione was no longer pressing down on his chest, but beating it with her fists. "RON PLEASE! RON!" She screamed through sobs. Hermione went breath into his mouth again. When she felt a thick arm wrap itself under her chin. Hermione was yanked up off Ron's body. "RON! NO STOP WHAT ARE YOU DOING! I CAN HELP HIM! RON!"_

 _"He's already dead." It was Harry's voice but it barely registered with her. Harry wrapped his other arm around her stomach and pulled her back up. Hermione fought against Harry's grip._

 _"He isn't! RON!" Hermione shouted as she tried to kick at Harry. Her nails dug into his arm leaving deep bloody grooves. "He isn't dead. He can't be dead! LET ME GO!" She shouted through her sobs. "Let me GO!"_

 _"_ _ **Dormeo**_ _," Harry said softly in her ear. Hermione felt her body relax. Her legs stopped kicking, and her hands slid from Harry's arms._

* * *

The last thing Hermione remembered from that night was Harry casting the sleeping hex on her. When she had woken up Harry was gone and she was on the couch at the Burrow. Mr & Mrs. Weasley where crying at the kitchen table. George was sitting in the chair across from her with a blank stare. Ginny was out in the garden crying. Percy was making his parents tea, and Bill was holding a sobbing Fleur as he cried silently in the corner. At first she had been angry at Harry for everything. Putting her to sleep, and leaving them there. Until she realized Harry had left to do the hardest job. He had brought the body to St. Mungos. Stayed for the autopsy and examination. Identified the body and signed for it. Harry had even prepared the funeral, bought the casket, and had the gravestone made. Hermione sighed and took one last look at the headstone.

'What would you do?' Hermione thought to herself as she stared at the gold inlaid name. 'You'd be able to help him. I know you could.'

Hermione started to walk down the hill. She and Harry had killed Ron. There was no doubt in her mind. The two of them had left him by himself for a year. Balrey checking on him and seeing him. Then to top it all off a few weeks after school Hermione had spent almost every moment with him trying get him to get out of the house and find a job. The two of them had been so self absorbed they missed all the signs. How horrible must it have been for Ron? To want to die that badly. He could of saved himself at any point. It would of been easy. A quick wandless cutting spell. A burst of raw magic. His bed had only been a few inches away. He could of just used his legs to pull it over. Ron had wanted to die that night, she and Harry had let it happen. The wind picked up and the grass shook. Looking up into the sky Hermione watched the clouds float through the sky.

"Sorry Ron," Hermione said quietly as she stopped walking at the base of the hill. Turning on heel she disappeared with a small pop.

* * *

"Everything good boss?" Anthony asked as he leaned in the doorway of Neville's office. The interior of the office was unlike any of the other squad captains office. Several odd plants lined the office wall. One plant hung from a basket stuck to the ceiling. It was large with white feathers lining its branches. There was even a small Mimbulus mimbletonia on the far left corner of his desk. Neville's head was buried in one of the dozens of files Anthony had left on his desk. Neville hadn't even looked up in a few hours.

"Yeah...need anything?" Neville asked without looking up.

"Just checking on ya boss. You haven't moved in like four hours."

"Yeah probably because we have over a dozen murders to solve. Nothing that important though." Neville said as he looked up and made eye contact with Anthony. "Your right I should get up and take a stroll through Hogsmeade. Get some candy, maybe pop in at Hogwarts see how McGonagall is doing."

"Sorry boss…" Anthony said softly as he left. His face was a bit flushed with embarrassment. Neville let out a loud sigh. Leaning back in his chair and pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes. He slowly dragged them over his face, 'I could use a cigarette.' Neville shook his head as if trying to shake the thought from his mind. Neville had been pouring over the files all morning. It was all the same. Body parts strewn across the crime scene, no physical evidence, no magic, and all of the victims were witches and wizards. Something Neville had been starting to doubt before. 'Who the fuck is doing this? And How?' Neville asked himself as he leaned back over the files. Aside from the victims all being magical he hadn't missed anything else. Not that it mattered. That was pretty big fact to overlook. Neville clenched his teeth. 'I hate it when shes bloody right.'

Neville stood and undid his crimson Auror robes. Neville hung them up in large oak wardrobe pressed to the left wall. Underneath he was wearing a pair of dark brown dragon-hide pants, and a matching dragon-hide vest over a long sleeved blue henley. Neville absentmindedly checked the dragon-hide wand holster attached to his wrist. After double checking to make sure his wand was there he left his office. Neville's office was in a hallway off of the bullpen with the rest of the squad captains.

"Going to lunch." Neville said as he walked up to his squads desks in bullpen. Their desks were all pushed together making it look like one large desk. Everyone except Seamus was seated there doing some type of paperwork. Neville's eyes scanned the bullpen. Desks were arranged by squads. There 10 more groups of desks pushed together. They had a total of 58 Aurors and 6 captains. Not nearly enough in Neville's opinion. However the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol had about 150 officers working for it. He didn't see the point since it seemed like the MLEP couldn't do anything without calling in the Aurors

"When I get back we're gonna get together and go over everything we know about this case you got it?" Neville said as he looked over his team.

"Yes sir!" Jamie said as she looked up at Neville. Neville smiled softly and nodded his head. Jamie was still pretty green, and as a result still stuck to formalities.

"If you haven't taken your lunch than I suggest you take it. Dean go make sure Seamus is showered, dressed and here when I get back."

"Got it." Dean mumbled a bit embarrassed. He and Seamus shared a flat in Reading. When Seamus pulled these no-shows it always Deans job to go get him. Katherine flashed Dean a smirk, and he scowled back at her.

Neville ignored the exchange and made his way to the main hallway. Neville walked down the hallway and came to a large set of heavy oak doors. Neville opened the doors and slide through them. Neville went down another small hallway and around the corner to get to the access lifts. Neville pressed the button to call one and waited a few moments. Soon one flew up and came to a short jerky stop. A wizard came forward and slide the gate open.

"Hello there Captain Longbottom, good day?" The wizard was in his 60s or 70s with dark grey hair and dull blue eyes.

"Could be better actually. How about you Hodge?"

"Oh you know it has its ups and downs." He said with a large grin. He was missing several teeth. Neville let out a soft chuckle. Hodge said that everyday they saw each other. "Where to Captain?"

"The lobby." Neville said with a small smile.

"You got it Captain." The old wizard pulled the large leaver to the side of the lift. With a quick shake the lift rocketed upwards. It stopped short suddenly after barley taking off. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Neville said as the gate flew open with a loud clang. Stepping off the lift Neville took a look around the lobby. It was busy as always. Large fireplaces lined the right and left walls. Wizards, witches, house-elves, and goblins scurried about going about their daily lives.

"Good day Captain?" The witch at the security desk asked as Neville went by.

"Could be worse," Neville said with a fake smile. He resisted the urge to scowl as he looked at the Prophet in the witches hand. He had read the piece on the murders earlier that morning. 'Bloody reporters. Think they're so clever. All they do is scare the general population into thinking they're not safe.' Neville made his way to the closest free fireplace. Neville grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the small golden plate next to the fire place.

"Three Broomsticks!" Neville called as he threw the powder down. With a whoosh of bright green flames he was gone.

* * *

"June 20th 2002," Hermione said softly as she sat down. She was sitting on a small rolling stool. She was dressed in her black unspeakable robes. Her hood was down and her mask was sitting on a desk a few feet away. She was deep within the bowels of the Department of Mysteries. In a spare research room. A couple of files where strewn across the same desk her mask sat on. Hovering off the ground in front of her was the body parts from one of the witches from yesterday. One of the healers in St. Mungos had manage to separate body parts and group them together. Sitting on the desk a violet quill was scratching away on a muggle notepad. Hermione hated using parchment paper for her personal notes. It was so fragile and she preferred lined paper.

"Its 11:00 AM. About to start the examination of Jane Doe 1 from Kettlebell Corner." Hermione said out loud. The quill continued to scratch against the paper. Drawing her wand Hermione held it aloft, " _Pervideo,"_ Hermione said softly. A soft yellow light in the shape of a large cone left Hermione's wand. It was a standard inspection spell every healer used, but Hermione wanted to make sure nothing was missed. Hermione guided the yellow light over every inch of the body parts in front of her.

"Medical Inspection Charm brings up nothing." Hermione said out loud as she rolled the stool back around to the other side of the body. Lifting her left hand palm up the body parts began to ascend all except two. The witches chest had been split in half. The healers that arrived on scene to take her body had done a decent job putting the organs back where they belong. The pale torn flesh came forward and stopped in front of Hermione. She resisted the urge to grimace as she twitched her fingers. The two pieces came together causing it to appear whole. Before she could stop herself she averted her eyes away from the pale blue-purple breasts. 'This is a medical examination. Get yourself together.'

Most healers knew that every witch or wizard had a magical core. A kind of retainer in their body that held their magic. It was true in a vague way. The reality was magic resided in every single cell of the human body. Even the blood cells. Which meant every cell was a magical core. The amount of magic someone had was determined almost at random. A wizard or witches strength was determined by two things. The potency of their magic and how saturated an individual cell was. Someone like Dumbledore would be filled to the brim with magic. Each individual cell crammed full of potent magic. Hermione personally thought it was a bit ridiculous that only a few healers really knew this. Magical healers knew next to nothing about the human body outside of basic anatomy. 'If they only knew what it took to be a healer in the muggle world.' Hermione thought to herself.

" _Kytokesia,"_ Hermione said softly. A deep orange light jumped from her wand and hit the body part in front of her. Hermione watched as the orange light stretched and wrapped itself around the floating chest. It pulsed orange for a moment and faded. Hermione lost her concentration as the information she was looking for flashed through her mind. The chest fell apart and fell towards the floor. Hermione quickly regained her bearings and twitched her finger. They stopped inches from the ground. With another flick of her finger they floated up to join the others.

"Jane Doe 1's cellular structure has been torn apart." Hermione said softly as she rolled back towards her desk. "The body is somehow intact, but the cells that make the body up have all been perforated." Hermione looked back at the body parts floating in mid air. 'What happened to you?' She asked herself silently.

"God I think I really am going to have to go see Harry." She said out loud. She looked down at the floor her and shook her head. The scratching of the quill caught her attention. Standing she looked over to read.

 _God I think I really am going to have to go see Harry_

"Don't write that!"

 _Don't wr-_

Hermione banished the quill with a wave of her hand and groaned.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to leave a review.**


	3. Chapter 3

Neville stepped out of the green flames and dusted some soot from his vest. The Three Broomsticks had a few patrons scattered about sitting at random tables. There was a low murmur of conversation as they all chatted amongst themselves. Neville watched as people smiled and laughed. Like nothing else was happening out there. All that mattered was what was happening in here right now. How long had it been since was as blissfully unaware. Seven? Eight years? Neville sighed and shook his head.

"Hey there handsome." Neville looked up to see a young woman standing a few feet from him. She was a little shorter than most woman her age. It didn't take away from her beauty though not one bit. She had long wavy dark auburn hair and a small smattering of freckles across her face. The young woman was Susan Bones. An old classmate of and his girlfriend.

"Well look at this I didn't think anyone as beautiful as you worked here at the Three Broomsticks." Neville said as he stepped forward with a large smile.

"Well the world is full of surprises then isn't it." She said as her hazel eyes sparkled with mirth. "I didn't know aurors took their lunch breaks before noon."

"I didn't even know we got them just found out today." He replied as he stepped forward and reached out. Neville took her by the hand and lifted it up. He pressed his lips to the back of her hand. "Please tell me that the people who work at the Three Broomsticks get a lunch break."

"Let me check for ya." She said with a smile. She pulled her hand back and giggled. "Just take a seat, and I'll see if I can get us something to eat."

Neville winked at her as she turned to leave. Looking around he found a small table near the front door away from the rest of the patrons. Taking his seat he ran his hands through his hair. Before long Susan came back with two plates of fish and chips and a couple bottles of Butterbeer.

"Hope fish and chips is alright."

"Works for me luv," He replied as she set the plate down. As she walked around she let her hand travel up his arm and to his shoulder. He reached up and gave it a light squeeze.

"Tough day?"

"When haven't they been lately."

"It almost feels like back then. All these bodies. I mean I know it isn't and it's not nearly as bad….but it's so unsettling." Susan was holding a chip looking at Neville with wide eyes.

"I know the feeling, and I can't help but think...I can't help but think that I'm not actually helping at all." Neville took a bite of his fish and swallowed. "Maybe the stupid Prophet is right. Maybe they should put someone more experienced on this. Like Smythe or Collins."

"Is that what you want?" Susan asked in between bites. "I'm sure you could get the case transferred if you really wanted too."

"No, but I might not have a choice if I can't get any real movement on it. The Department of Mysteries is already involved. Won't be long before it gets reassigned to another team or moved over to them." Neville looked down at his plate as he played with a chip. "I asked Hermione to talk to Harry. I don't know if she will...or if that'll even be enough. I mean he didn't even respond to my Owl. No one can even get a hold of him these days."

"You really think Harry should even be involved? I mean he can't be okay in the head." Susan said softly almost ashamed of saying it out loud. "I mean I love Harry...everyone dose. He saved us all, but he hasn't been seen in years. That can't be a good sign." Susan looked away her eyes down cast. Everyone could still remember when Harry had been so full of life.

"I don't need him in the field. He doesn't even need to leave his house. Just look at the files. Call it a curse or a gift whatever Harry has an eye for these things. He knows how people like this murderer think."

"I don't think that such a good thing." Susan said as she grimaced.

"It isn't I mean just look at what its done to him." Neville took a sip of his Butterbeer. "Maybe this could help him. Get him participating in the real world again. Hermione could help him. I don't know why she hasn't. Maybe she blames him for Ron…"

"Do you want Harry's help to solve the case because you can't? Or because it might help him and Hermione reconnect?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yeah it kind of dose. If you need him to solve the case you need him to solve the case. If your goal is trying to get him out of that house and fix his and Hermione's friendship then your main concern is not the case." Susan said as she finished off her fish. "I know he's your friend, and I know how you feel about him. I know you care about Hermione too, but your job is to catch this monster. Not play matchmaker and fix their lives."

Neville ran his fingers over his lips. "I need him to solve the case. Everything else could just be a bonus."

"Then maybe you should just request a case transfer." Susan said as she leaned back and gave Neville a caring look. "Its okay to stumped sometimes. Even my Auntie had a few cold cases."

"Maybe you're right." Neville said as he put his head in his hands. With a groan he looked back up and crossed his arms. "If I can't make any headway on this in the next few days I'll give it over to the Unspeakables." Neville finished his Butterbeer. "When did everything get so topsy turvy? I should of taken Professor Sprout up on that apprenticeship."

"Don't say that." Susan said as she reached over and held her hand out. Neville moved to take it. "You're an amazing auror. Your Gran and parents would be so proud of you. You're a real life hero. Just like Harry."

"Thanks luv. Enough of this gloomy stuff why don't you tell me what's going on with Hannah and Ernie."

"Oh you won't believe what he said to her!" Susan said with a bright smile. As she perked up and prepared to fill him in on all the juicy details.

* * *

Harry woke with a start. Sitting up he did his best to catch his breath. A thin sticky sheen of sweat covered his body. Harry waved his hand and the lights in his room burst to life. Bright light flooded the room causing Harry to squint. Harry quickly turned towards the night stand next to his bed. He reached out with a shaking hands and grabbed a vial of purple potion. Breaking off the wax cap he put it to his lips and downed it. The calming effects of the potions spread through him like a warm fire. Harry's heart rate started to slow and his hand steadied itself. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He got out of bed and plucked his glasses from his night stand. He was wearing a pair of black sweat pants and nothing else. Harry slid the glasses on and looked down at the empty vial. With a snarl he threw it across the room. It shattered against the wall. Grabbing his cigarettes from the night stand he drew one from the back and stuck it between his lips. With a snap of his fingers he lit it and inhaled deeply. Harry let out another sigh filling the room with smoke. Harry grabbed his red bathrobe from coat hook by the door of his room and left.

Harry had taken over the master bedroom on third floor when he moved in. Grimmauld Place was massive. With 8 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. Harry made his way down the stairs to the first floor where the sitting room, parlor and library resided. At the end of the hall was the stairs that led to the basement where the dining room and kitchens where. Harry took another drag off his cigarette and headed straight to the library.

Harry entered the library and saw his wand where he left it the day before. Sitting on the table near an open book. Harry made his way over to the mantel. The decanter had been refilled since the night before. The library itself had been completely restored to its original condition. Before his fit. Harry took a glass and filled it with the amber liquor and quickly finished it. He refilled the glass and took another sip. There was a small pop and Winky appeared before him.

"Would Master like some breakfast?" The house-elf asked looking up Harry hopefully. Harry looked at her and smiled slightly.

"Go ahead and bring me some eggs and bacon."

"Yes master! Right away master!" Winky disappeared again with a small pop. Harry walked over to the couch and sat down. Pressing his fingers to his eyes with his left hand under his glasses he took a sip of the whiskey in his right. Harry groaned and took another drag off his cigarette before throwing it into the fire place. Harry finished his whiskey and set the glass down on the table. Just as he did that Winkly reappeared.

"Here you go master." She said as she laid a large plate of eggs and bacon down in front of him. In her other hand was a large goblet filled with water. "You needs to drink some of this too." She said bashfully. "You also gots these." Winky pulled two sealed envelopes from her dress pocket. Winky had refused pay, but Harry had refused to let her wear anything ridiculous. Her and Kreacher both wore clothes. Knowing that if Harry ever personally handed them clothes that would mean freedom.

"Thanks." Harry said as she nodded and ran out of the room with a large smile on her face. 'Fucking elves,' he thought as he shook his head and fought back a smile.

With a sigh Harry reached down and took a piece of bacon. He stuck it in his mouth and took a bite. As he chewed he opened the first letter and read it.

 _I'm coming over tonight._

 _Hermione_

Harry rolled his eyes and swallowed. He set the letter down and picked up some more of the bacon. He ate it all in a few bites and opened the second letter.

 _Dear Harry,_

 _I saw Hermione today. She came to Visit Ron like every morning. I know its been a while since I wrote you last. I thought it best to maybe just leave you alone. Harry I want you to know that no one blames you for what happened. We all miss you and are worried about you. I know George and Percy tried coming to see you a few times...Ginny's written you, and Bill even tried to break through your wards. I know it hurts. You've lost so much, and then Ron. Harry please if you read this. We're having a family dinner this Sunday, and we'd all really like you to come. I want to see all the son's I have left under one roof._

 _Love,_

 _Molly_

Harry felt the tears build up, and he tried to fight them off. 'Molly and her fucking guilt.' He thought to himself as he threw the letter down. "I'm not your son." Harry said out loud as he sat back and stared at the fire.

* * *

 _It was a beautiful day out. The sun was shining, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. 'Why? Why was it so nice out today? How could it be on a day like today?' Harry was standing on the bottom of a grass hill in Ottery St. Catchpole. He was staring up into the sky his face stoic. A cigarette burned away in his hand. A small breeze cut through the silence rustling the long grass. Harry brought the cigarette up to his lips and took a drag. 'How could I let this happen?' Harry turned his eyes towards the crest of the hill. There was a large gathering on top of it everyone was getting together. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial of purple potion. He popped the wax cap with his thumb and downed it in one go. Harry finished the cigarette and threw it out into the field. Turning he started to make his way up the hill. Sliding the glass vial back into his pocket._

 _The last week had played out like a nightmare. Receiving the Patronus from Hermione. Rushing to the Burrow and finding Ron laying there dead. Hermione screaming and crying over his body trying to resuscitate him. Harry had seen enough dead bodies in his life to know Ron had been dead for hours. Harry remembered carrying the body out beyond the wards, and apperating to St. Mungos. Buying his casket, commissioning the grave stone, and setting the date for the funeral. Today's date._

 _Harry was wearing a pair of black dress robes. Black dress robes that had way too many miles on them. Too many funerals on their record. Harry had been numb the last week. He'd doubled up on his potions trying to do anything not to feel. As Harry reached the edge of the hilltop he looked around at everyone there. The whole Weasley clan was there. All grouped up together clinging onto one another. Hermione wasn't far from them her face puffy and red. Tears falling from her swollen eyes. Neville was there along with Luna Lovegood. Luna was holding Ginny's hand. Neville wasn't to far from them. Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Oliver Wood where all there. Along with Dean, Seamus, Parvati, and the surviving Creevey brother. Even Andromeda and Ted had made it with wished he could look at this group and see more than death. All he saw though where the victims. Lavender, Alicia Spinet, Dennis, Dumbledore, Snape, Tonks, and Remus. All the people that had died because he had failed them. Now Ron was part of that list. His best friend, his first friend, and his brother._

 _"Maybe you should stand with your family Mr. Potter." McGonagall said in a soft Scottish brogue._

 _"I don't have a family any more Professor-Headmistress." Harry said correcting himself at the last moment._

 _"How could you say something like Harry." She said using his first name. It was a rare enough occurrence to catch Harry off guard._

 _"You have godson who's here, brothers and sisters." She said motioning towards Neville and the Weasleys. "Ms. Granger, Hagrid, myself" She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We are your family Mr. Potter."_

" _I killed my brother." Harry said softly as he turned back to look at the large wooden casket hover gently over the grave. It was made of solid Elm. "I have no more family left. Thank you though Headmistress."_

 _Professor McGonagall gave Harry a sad sympathetic look. "Harry, Mr. Weasley chose to end his own life. As tragic as it is, it was his choice. I've loved all of my students; even the ones who might not have deserved it. You do have family Harry. Now go join them."_

 _Harry couldn't help it as a few tears escaped his eyes. He wiped them away quickly and nodded to Professor McGonagall. Harry started walking forward. He could feel the sun beating down on him. Harry walked up towards Hermione feeling it wasn't his place to interrupt the Weasleys._

" _Hey," Harry said softly his throat tight. Hermione looked up at him. The whites of her eyes were bright red. Tears stained her pale cheeks. Hermione let out a strangled sob and launched herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed tightly._

" _I should of been here." Hermione sobbed into his shoulder. Harry lifted his arms and wrapped them around her. "If I had been here...here instead of Hog-" Hermione cut off as she continued sobbing. Harry sat there and held her for what seemed like hours as she cried into his shoulder. Harry could here Hagrid blowing his nose from behind him. It was as loud as thunder. Soon Hermione's sobs turned into whimpers, and than even those faded away._

" _We should go see the Weasleys." Harry said softly has he let go of her. Harry straightened out his robes. Hermione nodded and followed him as he walked over._

 _As Harry approached the Weasleys Ginny looked up at him. He hadn't really seen her since that night. They had broken up months ago, and that was the first time he'd seen her since. She looked at him with sad eyes and tried to give him a small smile. She couldn't and just started crying again._

 _"Mr. & Mrs. Weasley." Harry said as he approached them. Molly looked up her face bright red with swollen brown eyes. Mr. Weasley was looking at him. A few tear tracks stained his face. "I'm so sorry." Harry said softly. _

_"Oh Harry." Mrs. Weasley said as tears poured out of her eyes. Untangling herself from Charlie and Mr. Weasley she came forward and wrapped her arms around him. "It's not your fault." As Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arms around him he couldn't hold back any more. Harry let out a strangled sob. Tears started pouring down his cheeks._

 _"It is. It is." Harry said as he cried. "I should of known. I should of been here. I should of saved him." Harry pulled away and pressed his hands to his eyes. "I should of saved him."_

 _"Oh don't you say that. Don't you dare say that." Mrs. Weasley said as she reached out and grabbed his hands. "You where his best friend, but I was his mother. If anyone should of seen it."_

 _"It's not your fault son." Mr. Weasley said as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "It isn't yours either Hermione."_

 _Harry and Hermione sat there that afternoon crying with the Weasley family. Professor McGonagall resided over the service. Talking about how much trouble the three of them caused her, Quidditch, their first time in her class when they arrived late. Lost and confused. As the service continued Harry sat there and cried silently. Harry watched as Mr. Weasley lowered the casket into the ground. Then as he and the other Weasleys took turns filling the graves. Harry went last and with a wave of his hand filled the grave. With a wave of Professor McGonagall's wand grass and wildflowers grew over the fresh dirt._

 _Harry sat there all evening as everyone slowly filtered down to the Burrow for the wake. Soon Harry and Hermione were the only ones left._

 _"I should of seen it." Hermione said softly._

 _"I did see it." Harry said with a croak. Hermione looked up at him confused. "He was owling me everyday. Asking me to come by. He wanted to see me to talk to me. He wanted to go on a trip to Romania. I just kept putting him off. Telling him I was busy. It just got to the point...I stopped responding to his owls. I had work to do. Cases to solve. I was about to be promoted. That's all that mattered to me."_

 _"What are you saying?"_

 _"I knew something had to be wrong I just thought I'd get to it. That I'd go see him eventually. I thought I could just deal with it another day." Harry said as he stood up. "You should of seen it." Harry said as he looked down at her. "Didn't he owl you more?"_

 _"Yeah..he did." Hermione said as she looked up at Harry confused and upset. "He kept asking me to sneak out and meet him at the Three Broomsticks"_

 _"I have to get to work." Harry said as he stood up to leave._

 _"What? How can you just say all that and then leave?" Hermione asked tears in her eyes again. "Harry please we need to talk about this. We need to go to the wake."_

 _"He was my best friend. Your boyfriend. We ignored him, and he killed himself. It was our fault. I don't know about you, but I don't deserve to be there." Harry said before disappearing on the spot with a soft hiss._

* * *

Ron's funeral had been the last time he'd seen the Weasleys. That was the second to last time he saw Hermione. Harry lit another cigarette and took a drag. In retrospect he really did regret saying those things to Hermione. Harry didn't honestly know why he had. Maybe he had just wanted to hurt her. Make her feel as bad as he did. That hadn't been enough though. She had come to see him a few days after he quit the Aurors.

When she had gotten there all he wanted was for her to leave. He had hated looking at her. All she did was remind him of Ron, and what he had done. Ignoring Ron for months. Leaving him so alone that he felt like he needed to take his own life. All the pain and hurt he had caused her and the Weasleys. He just wanted her gone, and to never come back.

Now she was coming over tonight. Harry had no doubt in his mind it was to talk about the case Neville had owl'd him about, and as much as he hated to admit it he was happy she was coming over. Standing he left his food unfinished on the table. It was probably best he took a shower and put on a shirt.

* * *

Hermione was standing outside Grimmauld Place. She stood there at the end of the walkway in front of a rusted iron gate. It had been almost two years since she had been here last. Almost two years since she had seen her best friend...her former best friend. Gathering all of the Gryffindor courage she had left she placed a hand on the gate and opened it. Hermione made her way up the walkway. Past Harry's dead lawn and up the stone stairs. Standing in front of the old door. She stared at the peeling paint for a moment. The snake head knocker was no longer there like it had been all those years ago. The first time she came here with the Order...with Ron. Steeling her nerves she reached up and wrapped her knuckles on the door three times.

'Will even come to the door?' Hermione asked herself. 'Is he even alive in there?' No one had technically heard from Harry in almost a year. The last person to have seen him was Andromeda. He had gone to visit Teddy around this time last year. 'This was a waste of time.' Hermione thought as she took a step back prepared to turn around and run. That's when she heard several locks start to click. After a few seconds the clicking stopped and the door opened.

Harry was standing there. He was wearing a pair of black sweat pants and faded grey shirt. His face was pale and gaunt covered in a scraggly black beard. His hair resembled more of birds nest than anything else. The top was sticking up in every direction while the rest of it hung limply over his shoulders. His once emerald eyes looked more like a dull green. She barely recognized the man in front of her.

"Harry." She said softly as she looked at him.

"Hermione." He said in a scratchy voice that didn't really sound like his own. He cleared his throat. "Come in I guess." he sounded better after clearing his throat. Harry turned and entered the home and Hermione followed after him.

"Jesus Harry when's the last time you ate something?" Hermione asked as she closed the door behind her. Harry was already halfway across the entrance room on the way to the library.

"This morning." Harry said as he entered the library without looking back. Harry entered the library and moved to sit in the armchair next to the couch. He had made sure all the potion vials had been vanished along with any cigarette butts. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his cigarette and put one between his lips. He lit it with a snap of his fingers.

Hermione followed Harry into the library and quickly looked around. The room was cleaner than the last time she was there. Books where still strewn all over the place opened to seemingly random pages. Other books where stacked up on the tables and floor. Books seemed to be everywhere but on the shelves. Hermione walked over to the chair and looked down at Harry with a concerned look.

"You don't look good Harry." She said softly as he looked up at her.

"You look like a boy with that haircut." He said back as he took a drag from his cigarette. "A sexy boy though." Harry said with a shrug. Hermione bit her tongue and her face flushed with embarrassment and anger.

"This isn't about me it's about y-"

"It's not about me either. You came here to convince me to look over those murders. Not make comments about my weight." Harry took a drag from his cigarette. "I have habits you don't like. You have habits I don't like. Let's call it good and move on. We haven't seen each other in over a year. No point in fighting about it."

Hermione resisted the urge to yell at Harry and reached down and snatched his cigarettes from his lap. Pulling one out she lit it with a snap of her fingers and sat down on the couch in a huff.

Harry looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "So what's so special about this case that the DMLE and Department Of Mysteries needs me to look at it."

"Oh the DMLE and Department of Mysteries doesn't need you to look at it. For some strange reason Neville wants you too." Hermione said in a huff as she exhaled. "Neville seems to be holding onto the notion he needs you, and we don't have a good enough reason to pull it from him yet." Hermione took another drag from her cigarette. Harry took a moment to look at her more closely. She was dressed in a pair of jeans that were almost tight enough to look good on her. With a black hoodie zipped halfway up over a blue v-neck shirt. Her hair was cut short in a pixie styled cut. She had her bangs swept over her forehead to the left.

"So Neville needs me to save his ass so the case doesn't get pulled from him." Harry said as he leaned back.

"You must not remember Neville all that well. He was never that prideful. He'd just as easily give the case up. I honestly have no clue why he wants to keep the case and involve you." Hermione said as she finished her cigarette. She was look around for a place to put it when it vanished. "You didn't even move." She said as she looked down at her hand.

"What you think I've been sitting here getting fucked up the last two years." Harry said as he dropped his. It vanished right before it hit the floor.

"I can only imagine what else you could do." Hermione said honestly. She hadn't seen anyone perform wandless magic that effortlessly and that advanced since Dumbledore. Hermione was no slouch herself. She could even vanish objects wandlessley as well. Harry hadn't even moved. Now hand movements...not even a finger twitch. "You could...you should be out there Harry helping people. Not stuck in here. Your potions and drinking aside you don't have to hide away."

"That's not the point." Harry said as he shifted in his chair. "The case, what's so special about it."

"All of the victims are witches and wizards, but they have no magic. None." Harry perked up at Hermione's statement. "The cells on each victim have been torn up, but are still intact. Not only is there no magic in them there's no magic anywhere at the crime scenes. Each one has been completely devoid of magic. Its like its a dead zone."

"Obviously whoever is doing this is an extremely talented witch or wizard." Harry said as he straightened up in his chair. "I'm surprised you haven't cracked this case yet. Something this...esoteric. Seems right up your alley."

"Well I did just start working it yesterday night. I'm also the one who found the cell damage." Hermione said softly. She reached into her hoodies pocket and pulled out a stack of shrunken files. Setting them on the table she waved her hand and they returned to their normal size. "Look at them or don't." Hermione said with a shrug as she stood up. "You know if you ever need anything you can always reach out to me right?"

Harry didn't respond his eyes where set on the files. Should he look at them? What was the point? Hermione shook her head and started to leave.

"I'm sorry." Harry said as she reached the doorway. She stopped in her tracks. "For what I said the last time you were here. Also for what I said at the funeral. I regret it." Harry said softly. Hermione smiled softly she could feel tears starting well up.

"Its okay. I forgave you a long time ago."

"You know you're always welcomed here." Harry said without getting up. Hermione felt he breath catch. After all this time she thought Harry would of just gotten worse here by himself. Maybe he had actually gotten a bit better.

"Thank you," Hermione said before leaving the library. Harry listened as Hermione left. A few minutes later he stood up and summoned his wand to his hand. It soared across the library into his hand. With a quick wave his faded grey shirt transformed into long sleeve black shirt, and his black sweats turned into a pair of dark blue faded jeans. Harry twitched his wand again and a pair of worn black boots soared into the library. Harry slide them on and laced them up.

"I'm going out." Harry said out loud knowing the elves would hear him. Harry slid his wand into the holster hidden in his right boot, and started for the door. Harry opened the front door and looked outside. Harry took a deep breath. He calmed his nerves and stepped forward. Harry shut the door behind him and started walking.

Hermione was nursing a warm cup of tea. She had changed as soon as she had gotten home. She was wearing a pair of pajama pants and thin green tank top. Her dark eyes were resting on the light brown liquid in her cup. She hadn't expected her visit with Harry to go so well. Well was a subjective term of course. Most people would of found the whole visit awkward and uncomfortable. The whole fifteen minutes it lasted. Which she did, but it was better than getting into a shouting match with him like last time.

"Obviously something has changed." Hermione said to no one out loud. Hermione had thought that left to his own devices Harry would just wallow all day. Drinking and taking his potions. Until nothing was left but a shell of the person she knew. Harry clearly wasn't the boy she grew up with anymore. However he wasn't what she had expected either. He was clearly not eating, and still taking his potions. He was probably still drinking pretty heavily too. Though the Harry she saw was relatively calm and put together. She took a sip of her tea.

'I wonder if he'll actually look at those files.' She thought to herself. 'Not that it matters. Even if he does the most he'll do is owl us what he thinks.' Hermione leaned back in her chair and sighed. 'What did he mean I was always welcome there? Does he actually want me to come back?' Hermione took another sip of her tea. Harry may not be the boy she grew up with but somethings never change right? There had to be somethings about him that were still the same buried deep down. 'He can't of changed everything could he? I mean even after everything we've been through there has to be something there still. Even I'm still a know it all.' She scowled into her tea as the thought crossed her mind. Hermione glanced at the clock. 10:35. 'If I go to bed now I can still get about seven hours of sleep.' Hermione looked down at her tea and squinted her eyes. Hermione continued to stare at it trying to will the tea to vanish. It just sat there. With a frustrated groan she waved her hand and watched as it disappeared.

'Harry Potter.' She thought as she shook her head. Standing Hermione turned off the lights and walked out of the kitchen.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, but this seemed like a good stopping point. It'll make sense when I post the next one. Please feel free to leave a review.**


	4. Chapter 4

_2:35_ Ginny stared at the glowing green lights for a moment. She could feel the soft linen sheets on her skin as she laid in bed. She held her breath as she tried to listen a moment. There was a steady deep breathing coming from behind her. She didn't know his name, it hadn't really come up. Ginny gently pulled the blanket off of her trying not to disturb the person next to her. Ginny slid out of the bed quietly. As she stood in the dark room she squinted her eyes trying to find her stuff. She quickly grabbed her purse along with her clothes. 'Pants, skirt, shirt….wheres my bloody bra?' She thought to herself as she glared around the room. 'Damn it.' Pulling her wand from her purse she held it aloft.

" _Accio,"_ she whispered. Ginny peered through the darkness and watched as her bra shot up from the floor on the other side of the bed and came flying towards her. Ginny quickly snatched it out of the air, and stuffed her wand back into purse. She froze for moment making sure she hadn't disturbed whatever his name was. She really didn't feel like trying to cast a Memory Charm right now. After a few seconds she let out a silent sigh. Ginny quietly shuffled over to the bedroom door, and pulled it open gently. Sliding through the small crack she pulled it shut behind her.

Still naked Ginny walked on the balls of her feet out into the living room. The light from the city and the moon filtered in through the patio door. The light casted tall shadows in the sparsely decorated wasn't much there; a dingy couch and chipped coffee table sitting right in front of it. Quietly Ginny got dressed in the living room in the pale light with squinted eyes as she tried her best to see through the shadows. She found her sandals near the hallway entrance where she had kicked them off when they first barged into the flat. They had been a tangle of arms and legs stumbling into the flat drunk. She slid them onto her feet and stood up straight. Ginny did her best to smooth out the wrinkles in her skirt, and quickly ran her fingers through her long flaming red hair. Satisfied with the quick clean up job she crept through the apartment up to the front door. Once again she opened it slowly and slide through the small crack. As she pulled the door closed behind her she let out a sigh of relief. Happy she hadn't been heard and forced into one of those awkward what now conversations.

Ginny was standing in a brightly lit hallway of an apartment building somewhere in Cardiff. Ginny closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to them. The bright light had shocked them. She tried to rub the blotchy spots from her eyes as she stood there. Ginny and the rest of the Tornados had gone out to celebrate their upsetting victory over the Holyhead had been down by over 100 points before she swooped in catching the snitch. Needless to say things had gotten a bit exciting for the ginger had been her third win in a row since taking over as starting seeker. It was huge for her, and hopefully it would lead to a permanent starting position. Ginny grimaced as her stomach did flips, and she swayed a bit. She was still a bit buzzed from all the drinking she had done that night. Even after rest of the team called it a night Ginny had ventured out into the muggle world looking for a good time. After a few drinks at a muggle bar down the street from where she was now she ended up here with whatever his name was. Ginny let out a deep breath and opened her eyes. Looking left and right she tried spotting a way out of there. After finding a lift door a few paces down she started walking towards it.

Ginny reached down and adjusted her sandals pulling the heel straps over her heels. As she walked down the hallway she fought off a mischievous smile. Tonight had been a pretty good night. 'I should of gotten his name,' she thought to herself as she pressed the call button for the lift. 'He could give Wood a run for his money,' with a low _ding_ the doors to the lift opened. Ginny entered and pressed the button with the number one on it. As the elevator closed Ginny pulled her wand out of her purse and waved it over herself in an intricate pattern. The wrinkles she hadn't gotten out disappeared as her skirt straightened itself out. She quickly tapped the top of her head, and her long flaming red hair straightened itself out as well taking on a slightly glossy sheen. Ginny slide her wand into her purse and just as the doors to lift started to open she turned on heel and disappeared with a loud crack.

Ginny reappeared with a stumble; in the middle of the garden at the Burrow. 'Good thing I didn't splich myself.' She thought as she tried to get a hold on her surroundings. Cardiff and Ottery St. Catchpoole weren't that far apart from each other. However considering she was having some trouble standing straight she was actually kind of surprised she made it in one piece. Steadying herself she made her way to the back door. Not too concerned with remaining silent in her own home she simply opened the door and stepped through. She let close behind with a moderate bang. Her mum and dad could sleep through a Death Eater attack. So she wasn't to worried about waking them. The Burrow was warm and inviting like it always was. She took a deep breath. The Burrow smelled like fresh parchment and leather for some reason.

A long kitchen table filled with mismatched chairs was right in front of her. All around the dining room sat small collections of muggle and magical gadgets. Some were whirling about and others sat still letting out puffs of steam. Some did absolutely nothing at all. Taking a look at the Weasley clock she watched as her hand spun around the face and came to a rest on home. Setting her purse down on a side table she pulled her wand out of it. Taking a few steps further in she entered the large kitchen that took up roughly half the space of the first floor of the Burrow. Like always dishes where in the sink, and a large copper pot sat on the stove. The pot was probably filled with something for that nights dinner. She flicked her wand at the kettle sitting on the counter next to the stove and steam immediately started billowing out from the spout. Ginny grabbed it and at the same time reached into a cabinet over her head and pulled out a teal colored tea mug. Ginny haphazardly laid a tea bag into the mug. With a wave of her hand a jar of honey came flying from a nearby cabinet. It landed on the counter with a loud bang and slid to a stop. Ginny looked mildly impressed, and she was. She couldn't believe she managed that without a wand in her state. After spooning some honey into the mug she finally poured the steaming water into it. Ginny took her tea and made her way back into the dining room. Pulling out what looked like a blue lawn chair she sat down in it.

"Your up late dear," Ginny's head snapped up towards the voice. Mrs. Weasley was standing at the base of the stairs smiling at her softly.

"Sorry mum didn't mean to wake you." Ginny said with a small smile. She knew she hadn't, but yet its still seemed like the right thing to say.

"You didn't wake me," she said as she came over from the stairs and sat down in large pink chair in front of Ginny. She gave her a knowing look. "Would you like something to eat sweetie? Soak up the alcohol?"

Ginny flushed with embarrassment. No matter how old she got she always felt like a little girl under her mother's gaze. "No I'm good."

"I listened to your game on the radio today. I'm so proud of you." Mrs. Weasley smiled at her. "You know out of all my children I never expected it would be you playing professional Quidditch."

"Well seemed better than becoming an Auror," Ginny said softly as she sipped her tea. "Can't think of anything else I could of done besides that."

"You would of made a wonderful Auror as well." Mrs. Weasley let out a small sigh, "but I've lost enough children to dark wizards."

"We've all lost too much to them." Ginny said quietly as she looked down at her tea. "Not everyone died either." Ginny said as she thought about Harry.

"I invited him over for dinner on Sunday."

"He won't come." Ginny said dryly as she took another sip of her tea. Everything had gone so wrong after Voldemort was defeated. Her and Harry should of been together forever, but they had barely lasted a few months. Harry had shut down refusing to talk to her about anything. Everytime she turned around he was working, and fighting. She couldn't handle it. She had been all alone at Hogwarts while he had been off fighting Voldemort. Yet somehow even though it was all over she had felt even lonelier than before.

"We can hope." Mrs. Weasley said softly. "Everybody handles things differently in their own way. All we can do is wait and hope. He's lost so much. We all have."

Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It seemed like every other week her and mum had to have this conversation. Just because it happened didn't mean they had to keep talking about it. Was this their life now? Where they just going to talk about how horrible the last 7 years had been for the rest of their lives?

"Harry has a choice. A lot of people...people like Ron and Fred they don't anymore." Ginny said coldly as she glared at the wall to her right. "Harry had us, Hermione, Neville, Hagrid, even McGonagall. He chose to push everyone who loved him away. He chose to hide away in that grungy house." 'He chose to abandon me.' Ginny thought as she glared at the wall.

"Its okay to be hurt by what he's doing, but we can't judge him for it. Not after everything hes been through." Mrs. Weasley reached over and gently took Ginny's hand. "I know he hurt you dear, and I'm sorry that happened."

"He didn't hurt me." Ginny said softly. "I'm the one who ended things. It was my choice."

"I know dear." Mrs. Weasley said as she squeezed Ginny's hand. One day Ginny would understand. "You should get some sleep. You've had a long and exciting day." Mrs. Weasley stood and made her way over to the kitchen. "I'm gonna get started on your dads breakfast."

"Alright mum. Have a good night. Love you." Ginny said as she got up to go to her room.

"Love you too dear."

* * *

"Jesus you look like shite!"

"Better than you." Harry said as he walked up to the woman who had just spoken to him. She was in her late 20s with short black hair that hung just below her shoulders. She had an oval shaped face and a sharp nose. Thin black eyebrows rested over her wide hazel eyes with thick full lashes. The woman had a mannequin esque beauty about her with snow white skin free of blemishes and pink full lips. She was dressed in a simple black v-neck shirt and a pair of torn jeans.

Harry was at pub a few blocks away from Grimmauld Place. A local hangout that was never too busy. It was a small, quiet, and dark place. Something Harry could appreciate. There was a bar on the far left wall and maybe a dozen tables to the right, and that was it. Even now only a few people were gathered there drinking and talking amongst themselves. Harry stopped by maybe once or twice a month to get out of the house. Over the last year he had struck up a comfortable friendship with the night manager and bartender Jessica.

"Yeah in your dreams," She said as she rolled her eyes. Harry couldn't help but smile a bit. She pulled an empty glass out from behind the bar and set it down in front of her.

"You couldn't survive my dreams." Harry said as he took a seat on the stool in front of her. Behind here where several shelves stocked with hundreds of large glass bottles.

"You couldn't survive me." She whispered as she leaned forward. Harry stared into her green and brown eyes. Their noses were a few inches apart. Harry couldn't help but smirk at the beauty in front of him.

"I already have," Harry said softly as she filled his glass with whiskey. A smile formed on her full light pink lips.

"That's exactly what I'd call it too. You survived. Barley." She straightened up and set the bottle back on the shelf behind her. "Two visits this week? You must miss me."

"I miss your whiskey." Harry said as he picked up the glass and took sip. Setting it back down Harry pulled out a pack of cigarettes and drew one up to his lip. Harry snapped his fingers and lit the end of it. Harry took a drag and exhaled.

"One day your going to show me how you do that."

"I told you Jess, I'm a wizard." Harry said with the cigarette between his lips. Harry blew some smoke into his glass and watched as it sat just above the amber gold.

"Your something alright." Jessica said as she pulled one for herself from his pack. Harry waited until it was between her lips. Then as she brought up her lighter the tip ignited cigarette ignited. This time he didn't bother snapping his fingers. "What the fuck?" She said as she pulled the cigarette from her lips.

"Magic." Harry said as he finished his drink. Jessica reached back to the shelve behind her and grabbed the whiskey. She poured him another glass.

"So are they all rigged or something?" She asked as she kept smoking. She was leaning against a counter behind the bar.

"Believe me or not." Harry said with a shrug as he took another drink. Harry didn't particularly care if she did or didn't. What was she going to do tell the world she had met a real life wizard? They'd think she was nuts. Harry took another drag from his smoke and stared at his glass for a moment before speaking. "Let me ask you something."

"Ah your here for the advice then. I'm gonna start charging you by the hour." She said with another smile.

"It's not one of those nights." Harry said with a wink.

"Like you could afford one of those nights." She retorted with a laugh.

"Jessica do you think I'm a good person?" Harry asked as he took another drink. Harry grabbed another cigarette and used his old one to light the new one.

"You seem like a decent guy. What the hell do I know though I have shit judgement." Jessica said with a smirk and a shrug and moved down the bar. Harry watched as she filled a few pints for a couple guys at the other end of the bar. Harry took another drag on his cigarette and blew out the smoke. Harry watched as the smoke drifted up to the ceiling. After Jessica finished with the pints she started making her way back towards Harry. He sat there silent for a few moments debating on how much he should tell her. Truth was she didn't really know much about him. His name and that his parents were dead, and that was about it.

"What if I told you that I was a killer?" Harry asked as Jessica came back. She looked at him with vacant expression. Then she rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh yeah you seem pretty menacing,' she said with a snort. Reaching over she grabbed Harry's whiskey and finished it. Then she grabbed the bottle and refilled the glass.

"I was a detective of sorts a few years ago." Harry said softly as he took a drink. "Some shit happened that compromised my judgement, and it got someone on my team killed." Harry took another drag of his cigarette. "I quit after that, and you're pretty much the only other person I've talked to in the last two years."

"A detective what are you 23 or 24?" Jessica said as she gave him a look. Her left eyebrow was cocked up and her mouth was pursed. "Cut the bullshit."

"I tried to tell you I was a wizard." Harry said with shrug as he took a drink. "I can't really tell you the full story if you won't believe that part of it."

"Honestly if you don't wanna tell me anything about yourself you don't have to." Jessica said as she crossed her arms in a huff. "If you remember the only thing I ever asked for was your name."

"I was in the army." Harry lied as he took another drink. He lit another cigarette and passed it over to Jessica. Then he lit one for himself. "One of my jobs in the army was to conduct investigations overseas with my team."

Jessica looked at with narrowed eye, "yeah I can see that." Jessica wrinkled her nose at him as she looked him up and down. "The kind of fucked up you are usually only comes from the army."

"Alright so you believe that." Harry said waving his hand dismissively. "Look whether I'm a wizard, a detective, or in the army it doesn't matter. The point was I was in charge of the safety and lives of other people...a lot of other people." Harry said as he finished his drink. "Then because I was fucked up about something I got a teammate killed."

"What where you fucked up about?"

"Killing my best friend." Harry said as he held his glass out. Jessica topped him off and took a swig from the bottle. "I mean he killed himself, but it was my fault. I tried to pull it together. Tried to move on like always. I just couldn't do it this time. I was fucked up drunk and high, and I made judgement call that killed a teammate."

"So you've spent the last two years in some kind of self imposed prison?" Jessica asked pulling a face. "What kind of bull shit is that?"

"I just didn't want to deal with it anymore."

"Wait a minute are you telling me you don't have a job?" Jessica asked as she crossed her arms and frowned at him. "Are you rich?"

Harry shrugged, "pretty much yeah."

"Whatever, that's not the point. You didn't kill your best friend. That teammate he knew what he was signing up for right? Since when are you the authority on who gets to live and die."

"Pretty much since I was born." Harry said taking another drag off his cigarette.

"That's a fucked up sense morality you have there." Jessica said as she took another one of his cigarettes. "Listen you can go through life blaming yourself for all the bad shit that happens, and be miserable. If you honestly like who you've been the last few years go for it. Don't change a fucking thing. On the other hand if you feel like your life has kind of sucked the last two years. Which from the sound of it kind of dose. Then you need to wake up and realize that sometimes the world is just shitty to ok people." Jessica reached down and took a drink from Harry's whiskey. "You can chose to take it all on yourself and be miserable, or you can go out there and take on the world. Do your best to give yourself and whoever else the best life you can before it's over."

Jessica went to pour Harry another glass. "Leave the bottle," Harry said softly as he finished his glass in one swallow. Jessica gave him a small smile and set the bottle down next to him.

Harry spent the next few hours going over what Jessica said to him in his head. The truth was the last couple of years had sucked. Harry knew deep down that he was still partially responsible for Ron's death. If he had just been there for Ron maybe things would be different. Ron had been there for him time and time again, and when Ron really needed him he dropped the ball. Jessica and McGonagall where right had been Ron's choice in the end so the blame couldn't fall directly on Harry. The thought wasn't all to comforting though. Harry still had a lot of blood on his own hands in his opinion. Sirius, Ron, and so many more. Maybe Harry hadn't been fully responsible for their deaths, but the choices he had made helped facilitate them.

So what did he do from here? Was the answer really as easy as Jessica made it sound? Go out there and live it up because everyone else couldn't? Harry poured himself another drink. He doubted he'd find the answer here tonight. He doubted he'd find it at Grimmauld Place either.

"So genius." Harry called out to Jessica who was down at the other end of the bar cleaning up. "What do I do?"

"Well you never really gave me your options." Jessica said as she walked over to him.

"Taking your advice. Lets just say I'm sick of living my life the way I have been. However I don't think the answer is a simple as going out there and living it up."

"I didn't say go out there and live it up idiot. I said go out there live a good life and try to make things less shitty for everyone else. Or something like that." She said with a shrug. "Either way you're not going to find your answer doing what you've been doing. So I'd say just go out there and do something different."

"I guess that's my answer then." Harry said as he poured the last of the bottle into his glass.

"Good cause it's 5:30 in the fucking morning and I'm ready to get out of here." Jessica said as she stood there with arms crossed.

Harry reached into his pocket pulled out ten 50 pound notes. Harry set them down on the bar. "Keep the change." Harry said with a smile.

"I planned on it rich boy." Jessica said with a smirk.

Harry watched as she put a few notes in the till to cover his tab. She finished up a few more things and came back over to grab Harry's bottle and glass. "Coming over to mines this morning?"

"Nah I look like shite remember?" Harry said with a smile as he stood up. He was pretty light headed and stumbled a bit.

"You ain't driving are you?"

"Don't know how." Harry said as he stretched and pulled out a cigarette.

"You know only alcoholics can drink that much and stand like that." Jessica said as she moved out from behind the bar. Jessica came up to him and wrapped her arms around him. She hugged him tightly. Pulling back she leaned up and placed a light kiss on his lips.

"What was that for?" Harry asked as she pulled back and gave him a sad smile.

"Because I don't think I'm going to see you again." Jessica said softly as she looked at him.

"Thats crazy talk. You really think a few nights of shit sex and bad advice made me any better?" Harry asked as he gave her smile. "Besides you know I'm a wizard. I can't just let you walk around with that knowledge. I'm gonna keep up with you."

"Yeah I've heard that before." Jessica said as she crossed her arms. "Though usually without all the wizard talk."

Closing his eyes Harry took a deep breath. Opening his eyes Harry turned his palms up and lifted his arms.

"What are you doing?" Jessica asked shooting him a weird look. She was looking around the bar. Everything was exactly the way it should be.

"Your right I guess I'm not a wizard." Harry said with a shrug and a smile. "I'll see you around though." Harry turned and walked with Jessica out of the pub. Harry stood on the sidewalk as Jessica locked the door and tucked the key into her pocket.

"Well I'm heading this way." Jessica said as she nodded her head to the left. "Sure you don't want to come over for shit sex?"

"Can't tonight. I'm heading to Winchester in a few hours." Harry said with a shrug.

"Winchester whats there?" Jessica asked as she started to walk backwards towards her flat.

"My godson." Harry said with a small smile. "I'm gonna go out there and see what happens. Maybe I'll find my answer."

"Good to here!" Jessica said with a laugh as she turned around and started heading off. Harry stared at her as she walked away. He'd known her for the better part of a year. He didn't know why or really care, but she'd been the only thing that hadn't made him completely miserable in that time frame.

"Should of taken her up on the shit sex." Harry muttered to himself. Harry shook his head and started walking slowly back towards Grimmauld Place. He needed to sober up and shower before going to see Teddy.

* * *

"So is he gonna look at the case?" Neville asked as he leaned back in his chair. His office door was closed and the privacy shades were drawn. Hermione was sitting down across from him. Her hood was down and her mask was sitting on his desk.

"I don't know." Hermione said looking past Neville impassively. "He seemed better than he was the last time I saw him, but you never know with Harry."

"If he doesn't help with this case I'm gonna have to turn it over to the Department of Mysteries." Neville said as he rubbed his chin. "I can't crack it, and I can't sit around and wait for this sicko to fuck up."

"Well let's give him some more time." Hermione said softly as she stood up and picked her mask up.

"Come to the briefing later?" Neville asked as he stood up. "It was your discovery you should take credit for it."

"Sure maybe when we're all in a room we can work something out." Hermione replied as Neville moved from behind his desk. He reached past Hermione, and opened the door for her.

"See you later."

* * *

It was close to 8:00 AM now and Harry hadn't gotten to sleep yet. He had stopped off at home to freshen up a bit after his night out and apparated to Winchester. He was standing in front of plain looking single story home. It was an average size home with beige paint and two large windows to the left of the front door. Neatly trimmed bushes lined the garden beds in front of the home and wrapped around its sides. Harry wiped the palms of his hands on jeans and stepped forward closer to the front door. With a shaky breath he lifted his hand wrapped his knuckles on the door.

"Who the hell could this be," a muffled voice asked out loud from behind the door.

'Probably not someone you expected.' Harry thought to himself as he waited anxiously. Harry resisted the urge to light up a cigarette as he waited for the door to open. There were a few clicks as the locks where undone and the door swung open. Standing in the doorway was a tall woman in her mid 50s. She had a round face with brown wavy hair that cascaded down her back. Her brown eyes roamed over Harry for a few moments wide in shock.

"Harry?!" Andromeda Tonks asked in shock. The young man in front of was certainly Harry, but he looked much more like her cousin Sirius than James Potter at this moment.

"Hey Andromeda," Harry said softly as he looked back at her. "I was hoping to see Teddy today."

"Are you alright?" Andromeda asked as she looked Harry up and down. He had changed since the last time she saw him. He was pale and a little bit too thin. His emerald green eyes seemed to have dulled and a lanky black beard hung just off his chin in a tangled mess.

"Yeah I'm alright," Harry said as he nodded gently.

"Of course you can see Teddy. I'm sure he'll be excited to see you." She replied finally opening up the door and inviting Harry in. Harry stepped into the home and quickly glanced around. The walls were painted a light blue and pictures hung on almost every free inch of space. A small side table was nestled in the corner across from the opening that led to the living room. Harry looked over the table with a slightly sad look. Right in the center was a white porcelain vase filled with bright yellow roses. On either side of the vase where several pictures of Remus and Tonks. Including what had to be the only picture with them and Teddy pulled his eyes away from the pictures and followed her into the living room. Harry crossed the room looking at the pictures hanging up on the walls. There were several of Teddy. Harry also saw quite a few of Tonks when she was younger. There was large beige leather couch pressed against the far wall opposite of the entryway. Pressed up to the wall to the left was a small matching love seat. A large telly was tucked in the front right corner of the living room and was currently off. Harry took a seat and and stared down at the oval glass coffee table in front of him.

"Wait there a moment I'll go fetch him." Andromeda said hurriedly as she quickly shuffled out of the room.

Harry was staring at his hands and playing with his fingers. He dragged his right thumb nail over the left one making a small clicking noise each time he did it. Harry sat there playing with his fingers for what seemed like forever. 'Will he even remember me?' Harry asked himself. 'Maybe I should just go home. This was a bad idea. I'll take a look at the files and mail Hermione my thoughts and go back to living my life.' Harry took a deep breathe and prepared to stand up and disapparate when he was pulled from his inner musings. A high pitched voice broke the silence.

" 'Awwy," Harry looked up to see Teddy run into the living room. His hair was bright yellow, and his eyes were neon orange. He had a large smile on his face as he ran over to Harry as fast as his little legs would carry him. Without giving it much thought Harry stood up and bent over. Teddy ran into arms with a high pitched giggle, and Harry picked him up.

"Hey there Moony." Harry said with a small smile. Harry held Teddy and gave him a gentle hug. "How you been kid?"

"My names 'Eddy not 'Oony," The toddler said as he giggled. Harry watched the boy put a finger in his mouth for a second before pulling it out and looking away. Harry couldn't help but smile as the boy tried to pronounce T and M.

"Well your Moony to me little wolf," Harry said as he sat back down on the couch and put the boy on his knee. Teddy hadn't turned at all since he was born, and when he had been checked by the healers they doubt he ever would. However to Harry he'd always be a little wolf.

"I'm not a wof." Teddy said with a giggle. "Your stupid," Teddy lightly hit Harry on the arm and flashed him a toothy grin.

"Teddy!" Andromeda said from across the room. It was too late though. Harry had already let out a loud bellowing laugh. The boy laughed too his hair changing color to bright red as he did so.

"Your right your not a wolf. Maybe one day when your older though I'll turn you into one for fun."

"You can do that?" Teddy asked looking at Harry wide eye. Harry watched as his eyes turned from a bright orange to a golden brown.

"Yes I can,' Harry whispered back to the boy. Leaning closer Harry put his nose even with Teddy's. "I'm the magic man."

"Nana is 'agic 'oo," Teddy said looking back and pointing at Andromeda who was standing there with a smile on her face.

"Do you like magic Teddy?" Harry asked with a small smile. Teddy nodded his head enthusiastically his light curls bouncing as he did so and giggled. "Alright then watch this." Harry said as he straightened up. Lifting his hand Harry waved it through the air. Instantly several balloons appear out of thin air spreading through the living room as they floated about. The boys eyes widened and he bounced up and down.

"OOOOH!," Teddy made an excited noise and wiggled himself off Harry's knee. Harry watched as he ran past the coffee table and grabbed on to the closest balloon by its string. He sat down with a light thump right on the floor. With another wave of Harry's hand a toy airplane appeared and started flying around the room. Harmless multi-colored sparks flew from the end of the plane as it flew around. Harry directed the plane around the room. The plane weaved around the balloons and then dipped right towards Teddy before flying back up and doing several large loops. Teddy laughed and shouted the whole time clapping his hands. Suddenly the plane turned up towards the ceiling, and just as it was about to hit Harry had it loop back and dive bomb towards the floor. As it rushed towards the boy he continued smiling and laughing. Suddenly it jerked to the right missing the the toddlers head by a few inches and the plane crashed down right between Teddy's legs into the carpet exploding in a shower of bright multi-colored lights. Sitting where it had crashed was a stuffed wolf that Harry had bought for him several months ago, but hadn't brought him yet.

"'Olf!" Teddy said as he picked it up and held it tightly. Harry reached into his pocket, and drew his wand. With a small wave a bright white sparks flew from his wand. They swirled around the room dancing and weaving around each other. The circled around the room right by Teddy's faced and then joined together to form a bright stag. The stag did a few laps around the room and stopped in front of Teddy. It pressed its snout to his face for a few moments before bowing in front of him before fading away with a thin white shimmer.

"You've showed him more magic today then he's seen his whole life I think." Andromeda said as she came to sit down next to Harry. "I don't really use it much," she said softly. "As you get older you start to appreciate the time you have to do things the long way."

"I don't know," Harry said as he stared at the boy with a smile on his face. "Even after all these years, and everything that's happened. I still love magic."

"Magic saved you." Andromeda said as she leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees. "Not everything that's happened to you has been ideal. Could you imagine though what life might be like if you'd grown up a muggle with those horrible people."

"I used to wonder. You know if I wasn't what I am would they have loved me." Harry shrugged, "who knows, but you're right. Magic saved me back then." Harry looked at Andromeda sadly. Changing the subject Harry asked, "have you been getting my deposits?"

"Yes, and it's way more than we'd ever need." Andromeda said giving Harry what he thought was supposed to be a look of admonishment.

"Save whatever you don't use or need for him." Harry leaned back and scratched his face. "It'll help him get a good head start when he's out of Hogwarts."

"Only seven more years, and then he'll be off. Time flies when they're this age. Next thing you know they have their Hogsmeade permission slip in their hand begging you to sign. He's powerful for his age. He reminds me of you. Sirius would come over and tell stories about how you summoned things and levatied this or that. You were barely a few months old. He was so proud of you." Andromeda sighed, "I don't want to lecture you, but you can't keep living like this. Sirius he wouldn't want this, and neither would your parents."

"I don't plan to." Harry looked at her and gave her a shrug. "I don't know what I'm doing, but I've decided it's time to get out there and give the world a second chance. I can't change what happened, and I have blood on my hands. Even if it wasn't my fault entirely. The choices I made played a part in costing people their lives."

"In a war like that...anyone's choice can lead to others losing their lives. You didn't put yourself in that position Harry. You were forced into it."

"I know Remus and Tonks wanted me to raise him." Harry said as he looked at Teddy with a smile on his face. He was trying to change the subject again. "I don't think they ever actually thought I'd have to. I can't take him in right now. I don't know when I'll be able to or if…" Harry trailed off.

"You know I don't mind having him Harry. When you're ready we can talk about it more then." She said as she placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder.

"What do you think? Gryffindor?" Harry asked as he eyed Teddy. He was busy trying to play with the balloon and his stuffed wolf at the same time. Harry watched as his attention darted from one to the other.

"Maybe Hufflepuff." Andromeda said with a smile. "He takes after his mother quite a bit."

"You never know." Harry said softly as he continued to look at the boy. Teddy was laughing and smiling innocently. He would never feel the way Harry felt. He wouldn't understand the toll war took on someone. He would grow up happy and healthy surrounded by loved ones. Not stuffed into a broom closet most of his life, and then be told it's kill or be killed. Harry felt almost jealous of him. How would life had played out if he hadn't had magic? If he had been a muggle?

"Sorry for the short visit Andromeda, but I have to get going." Harry said as he stood up. He looked back at Andromeda and gave her an awkward smile and a nod.

"Really? You've only been here a few minutes."

"I have some stuff I still have to take care of today. I'll be back soon though." Harry said as he looked back at her. It was time to go home and take a look at that case, and go from there. He didn't know what he'd find though he had a pretty good idea. Either way he'd get it done and move on. Find something good to do with his life maybe.

"Hey Moony," He said as he walked over and crouched by Teddy. "I have to leave, but I'll be back real soon this time."

"Wha' noo you never come back." Teddy said as he looked up at Harry sadly. Harry watched as his hair changed colors to jet black. His eyes turned from brown to a dull emerald green.

"I will this time." Harry reached out and placed his hand on the boys head. "I have to go out and catch a very bad guy." Harry picked the toddler up and gave him a hug. "Once I get him though I'll see you all the time I promise." Harry knew one thing though. No matter what happened from here on out. He needed to play a bigger role in Teddy's life. He owed Remus that much.

"Weally?"

"Really." Harry said with a chuckle. He squeezed the boy tightly and set him back down on the living room floor. "I'll see you soon little wolf."

"Are you back on duty?" Andromeda asked following Harry to the front door.

"Just consulting on this one," Harry said with a shrug. "Once it's over I don't know what's next. I just know I don't want to be responsible for people's lives anymore."

"Are you sure you should work a case then?"

"Nope, but Hermione and Neville both asked me. I owe them more than just this." Harry ran his hands through his hair. "It's just a serial killer nothing too crazy." 'Hopefully,' he thought to himself.

"You should probably apparate from here. Save you some time finding a place." Andromeda said softly.

"Thanks," he said with a smile. Taking a step back he turned on heel and disappeared with a barely audible hiss.

* * *

"Alright you lot." Neville said as he leaned against a plain wooden desk. They were in the conference room for the second day in a row. Standing next to him was Hermione in her Unspeakable garb. "We found some new evidence yesterday, and the Unspeakable here is the one who found it. So they're going to go over what they found, and we're gonna try to piece this together." Neville motioned towards Hermione letting her know the floor was hers. Hermione stepped forward to the center of the floor.

"Yesterday while examining one of the bodies I found evidence that the magic had literally been ripped from the body itself. The examination was done on one of the Jane Does from Kettlebell Corner. I then went back and tested every body that hasn't been claimed yet. I won't go into the details of what was specifically found but as a result the integrity of the bodies very composition was compromised. We're not sure what or how something like this can be done. We don't know why either. It is consistent though the magical dead zones around the crime scenes. Somehow magic is being ripped away from the bodies and the area as well." Hermione stopped for a moment and took a breath. "The next step here is to figure out how and why."

"If we can figure out how and why than we have a motive and a means. We can use that to track what he may do next." Neville said stepping forward. "I can't stress how big of a break this is for us. Even if we can just figure out how we might be able to get an idea of who we're dealing with."

"A very dark wizard."

Neville's head snapped up as he looked up towards the door. Standing in the doorway was someone he hadn't expected to see in these offices ever again. Dressed in pair of dark jeans and a black sports coat over a white t-shirt was Harry Potter. His hair was cut short around the sides and back of his head. The top had been left a bit longer and was parted to the right. He was clean shaven revealing pale cheeks that appeared to have sunken in slightly.

"Oy Harry mate!" Seamus said excitedly as he turned around to see Harry.

Hermione stood there frozen. Her mouth was open slightly behind her mask and her eyes were wide with shock. Standing in front of her was a completely different person than who she saw last night. He was still sickly thin, and way too pale, but otherwise appeared to be relatively put together. She hadn't expected to see Harry again anytime soon. She figured the most her and Neville would of gotten was an owl with a few notes. Hermione closed her mouth and resisted the urge to cry. She didn't know what had happened between last night and now, but she hadn't been this relieved and happy in a long time.

The rest of the team where staring at Harry in shock too. Jamie and Katherine had never personally met Harry before. People like Dean, Seamus, Tony, and Neville knew that despite the way he was dressed Harry still looked a bit worse for ware.

"These killings are ritual sacrifices." Harry said as he walked in. Reaching into his sports coat pocket he pulled out a glass vial of purple potion. Popping the wax cap off with his thumb he downed the potion quickly. "They're all happening in pairs, in highly magical areas, the bodies and the crime scenes were drained of their magic to fuel the ritual." He said as he slipped the vial into his pocket. Harry came to a stop a few feet before Neville and crossed his arms loosely.

"Ritual magic like this hasn't been reported in decades...maybe longer." Neville said as he got over the shock of seeing Harry. He stood up a bit straighter, and meet Harry's eyes.

"That's why I said it's a very dark wizard. The last wizard to use dark rituals like this was Voldemort." Harry ran his hand over his now smooth chin. "Whoever is doing this needs to be stopped immediately. We need to hunt them down and kill them. No arrests and no trial."

 **A/N: There we go Chapter 4. From this point on updates will probably take place every other day, but I can't make any guarantees. I will however say that there shouldn't be more than a week between updates. As always I want to thank everyone for reading. Please feel free to drop a review. They're very much appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

" _Ubicumque seminaveris in unum_ ," Draco muttered softly as he held his wand aloft. In front of him was a large standing mirror. It was a large oval mirror framed by a ring of tarnished bronze. Runes and celtic knots has been worked into the broze and inlaid meticulously with enchanted silver. The silver remained bright and polished even after years of neglect contrasting the tarnished bronze frame it was nestled in. Hundreds of tiny cracks branched out across the oval shaped glass spreading out right to the edges. " _Ubicumque seminaveris in unum_ ," he repeated again as he slowly dragged the wand down the face of the mirror. The mirror was propped up by two clawed bronze legs at its base. Lying beneath them was an array of runes that Draco had carved into the floor before working on it.

Draco had been lucky to stumble upon the mirror while in Cairo a few weeks back. It was an old school scrying mirror. The ancient Romans and Egyptians had used them to watch their enemies and even foretell the future. Most books said that only true seers could use the mirrors to their full potential. However Draco had high hopes he might be able to use it for his own gain, and if not sell it for a very large profit. " _Reficio novi facti sunt_ ," Draco muttered as started trace a large oval around the mirror. He cocked an eyebrow as bits of the mirror started to come together. The edges of the cracked glass seem to shimmer and become fluid and meld together. Draco continued to mutter the charm and trace out a large circle over the mirror. Bits of the mirror came together and started to mend. Draco continued to use the charm for the next several minutes. The outer edge of the glass mended itself, and the charm traveled inwards a few inches before stopping.

"Damn it," Draco swore as he dropped his arm. Beads of sweat had become visible on his brow. It had taken him a week to repair the silver inlay, and now it had been at least half a week since he started working on the mirror itself. At least he had made some progress today. A large outer ring of newly repaired glass encased a sizable portion of still cracked glass on mirror. Draco ran his fingers around his lips tracing his platinum blond goatee.

"Maybe if I used a different runic array." He muttered as he crouched down and looked at the edges of the array under the clawed bronze feet. Draco sighed heavily stood up and stretched. He looked around the room indifferently as he took stock in all the things he had collected over the years. There were several antique racing brooms, a set of vanishing cabinets, a few authentic crystal balls, several enchanted weapons, and various bits of charmed jewelry. His most prized possession though was an antique staff tucked away in the corner. Once upon a time staffs had been immensely popular. Only the most powerful and renowned wizards could even use them. Staffs not only channeled magic but amplified it as well making it stronger. There was a cost though, and it could be a dangerous one. Staffs would suck magic users dry of their magic in seconds if not controlled properly. Even a wizard like Voldemort could be killed by them just from casting a Levitation Charm. Draco hadn't been stupid enough to actually use this one though. The true art of using a staff had been lost centuries it was really just guess work regardless of what any of the books said.

All these items had been purchased broken or deemed unusable. It had become a hobby of Dracos to search for broken magical objects or objects deemed worthless then repair or improve them. A wizard with his unfortunate reputation didn't have all that many options out there in the wizarding world these days. Unlike his parents however Draco had refused to flee Britain and hide away in another country ashamed. Draco had built up a small but credible reputation in the Mending community though. Several high profile witches and wizards had reached out to Draco for his services in mending and enchantment. It was reputation he had worked hard for and built on his own, and he was incredibly proud of it.

Draco had grown up listening to his father talk about how great the Dark Lord was. As a child he thought of the Dark Lord as a hero. Someone who had come to save all the pureblood wizards from the muggle scourge. Filthy horrible creatures that where a brutal and undignified lot. Sheltered away in Malfoy Manor Draco had no idea what muggles where really like.

Then the Dark Lord came back from the dead and Draco had been so excited. Soon he'd be able to serve the wise and powerful wizard who sought to put pureblood wizards in their rightful place. Until he met him. He remembered when the Dark Lord first arrived at Malfoy Manor a few months before he returned to Hogwarts his for his sixth year. He had glided in like dementor with stark white skin and scarlet eyes. It didn't take long for Draco to realize the monster the Dark Lord really was. He watched as his father the "great" Lucius Malfoy had been humiliated and demiened. His father had barley acted with anymore dignity than a house-elf. He would never say it outloud, but Draco had been relieved when Harry Potter had killed the Dark Lord.

After everything Harry Potter had sat there in front of the Wizengamot and had asked them to show mercy on the Malfoy family. Saying that his mother Narcissa Malfoy had actually saved his life, and that Draco had also attempted to shield him from the Dark Lord. Something that Draco had done admittedly. Though only to spare himself from having to see the Dark Lord sully his family home with his presence. His father's wand had been snapped and he was forbidden from doing magic ever again, though spared jail time. Not long after his parents had fled Britain for France. This left Draco incharge of all of his family's business and investments.

Draco could still feel the shame from those years curled up like a ball in the pit of his stomach. His family's reputation had been ruined, and his parents had fled like cowards. Draco had been forced to serve the Dark Lord to try and save them and protect him. The same creature that had gone around claiming to bring an age of pureblood supremacy, but had just slaughtered indiscriminately for his own gain. After everything happened it had come to light that he had been nothing but a half-blood wizard himself with a muggle father.

Draco had changed since then. He still thought muggles were inferior to wizards, but he knew now they were not the savages he'd been raised to believe they were. Now Draco knew that regardless if a witch or wizard was a pureblood they still had magic. If a muggleborn could prove themselves capable it didn't matter what they were. Though something had to be said about the muggleborns who couldn't act like proper witches and wizards.

Now though, now was the time to regain his honor, and finally rid himself of this shame. Draco took one last glance at the mirror before leaving the room. Draco still lived in his family home in Wiltshire. It was a large grandiose manor home surrounded by miles of uninhabited land. Several house-elf's where under his employ to maintain the manor and its grounds. Draco's pseudo workshop was located in the attic which rose above the third floor of the manor.

Draco descended the stone stairs that wound down the attic past a set of three large stained glass windows that overlooked the front of the home. Draco stopped a second to look out the windows and peer through the late afternoon light. Draco's eyes traced the gravel driveway that twisted and curved down towards a large iron gate in the distance barely visible. Tall perfectly trimmed hedges hugged the driveway following all the way to the gate. About half way down on the other side of each hedge sat matching stone fountains. Draco could see the sparkling water bubbling out from matching stone chalices falling down over the fountain and down into stone lined pools.

Draco recalled his first time bringing Crabbe and Goyle to those fountains. He had brought those two oafs out there as a way to brag about his family's wealth. Showing off the prestinly trimmed hedges and stone fountains crafted by master masons. The two brainless fools had nodded along laughing. No doubt instructed by their fathers to indulge the child of Lucius Malfoy. Draco snarled at the memory. He had been a bigger fool than his father or even those two idiots. Taking such pride in something he hadn't even earned or built himself. Thinking himself a prince among paupers. Draco tore his grey eyes away from the fountains and continued down the stairs.

Draco exited the room and closed the door behind him. Turning he lifted his wand and muttered out several different spells. Each one had a unique purpose a few of them where trap wards intended to curse whoever tried to breach his locking charm. There was also an alarm ward which would warn him if someone tried to enter the room. Draco hardly considered himself paranoid despite the fact that Malfoy Manor alone had dozens of protection wards around it. However the items in that attic could probably be valued at a small fortune, and to Draco housed the most valuable things in the home.

Once Draco finished he tucked his wand away in the pocket of is black trousers, and started to head towards the kitchen. Unlike some manor homes there was no grand staircase in Malfoy Manor. Instead four different staircases where situated in all four corners of the home.

Draco walked through the hallways of the third floor towards the south west tower. The third floor was the most sparsely decorated floor. It was home to several empty rooms, a fencing room, a dueling room, and a few bathrooms. A thick dark navy carpet with silver tastled edges covered the granite floors. A few empty portraits lined the otherwise sparse walls.

Draco reached the stairs and quickly made his way down them. All four staircases in the manor where covered in the same crimson red carpet made of silk with cream trimming. The carpets themselves where more expensive than most homes. He continued past the second floor landing where the master bedroom, several other guest rooms, a home office, and a rather large library resided. Finally reaching the first floor Draco came out into a large kitchen.

The kitchen itself was one of the biggest rooms in the house. A large stove and oven made of polished stone was pushed up against the wall opposite of him. Dark grey marble counters ran against the same wall on either side of it. A large square dark marble island was in the middle of the room. Floating above it where dozens of pots and pans in different sizes and makes. Several steps to the left of him was a rather large round wooden table. It was made from solid cherry and had been stained several times giving it a gleaming polished finish. Six matching chairs were placed around it equal distance from one another. Each chair had plush black leather padding on the back and the seat. Sitting on a sterling silver plate atop of the table was Draco's lunch

The kitchen was one of the few rooms in the house without any carpet covering the stone floor. He strode over to the table and pulled out a chair. Sitting down he let out a sigh and turned his head to the left. The table was positioned next to a rather large window which made up most of the wall. Soft rolling hills with neatly trimmed grass expanded out from Malfoy Manor. Several tall trees where scattered about leading to a rather dense forest in the distance. Right before the forest was a small quidditch pitch. A narrow gravel pathway extended led out to the pitch from a back door in the kitchen.

His face soured as he looked at it. Though he used to love quidditch now all the pitch reminded him of was his father. After Lucius had heard about Harry Potter's exploits in Draco's first year he had forced Draco out there nearly every day practicing. Draco hadn't even wanted to play seeker. He preferred chaser. However his father had insisted Draco couldn't be shown up by Potter. That his son the heir to Malfoy name needed to prove he was better in every aspect. Even after buying Draco a Nimbus 2001 and forcing him to practice nearly every other day he had still been shown up by Potter. His father had been furious at him for it.

Draco turned his attention away from the pitch down to his lunch. A thick roast beef sandwich and crisps. Draco started to pick away at his lunch and picked up that days Prophet sitting next to the plate.

 _ **A New Dark Lord on The Horizon?**_

 _It has been just over four years since the defeat of You-Know-Who at The Battle of Hogwarts in 1998. Things have been quite in the wizarding world since then. However with the recent string of killings across magical France and Great Britain we here at the Prophet have to ask. Is there a new Dark Lord on the horizon? After the defeat of You-Know-Who over 100 of his followers were captured, and either imprisoned or executed. However many of his supporters to this day still walk free including most notably the Malfoy Family. Is it possible this string of killings are not the work of a simple serial killer, and instead the work of a new up and coming Dark Lord? We here at the Prophet do wonder this ourselves. Over the past several weeks no news has come out about the killings. A veil of silence still hangs over the case as the Auror Office still refuses to issue any official statements on the case. However there have been rumors that the lead investigator Captain Longbottom has reached out to the now reclusive Harry Potter for assistance. Harry Potter of course is famous for ending the reign of You-Know-Who's terror not just once but twice. Could this mean the Captain has stumbled upon something much more darker and sinister then we've been led to believe? Harry Potter himself hasn't been seen in public for well over a year. Is it possible he's somehow connected to all of this? Or that he's been secretly investigating this possible Dark Lord on his own? We were able to catch up with Kelly Thomas who went to Hogwarts with Harry Potter, and…._

Draco stopped reading and tossed the paper back on the table. Kelly Thomas had been a first year when they had started their sixth year. The Prophet like always was nothing more then trash and drivel. It wouldn't be long before they claimed Potter or even himself were behind the killings. Draco picked up a cloth napkin folded neatly next to his plate and wiped his hands. Leaning back in the chair he looked out the window again.

Surprisingly there was a small nugget of sensibility in the article. Draco himself had heard the rumors of a new Dark Lord from one of his contacts in Knockturn Alley. Draco clenched his teeth as he peered out into the grounds of his manor home. He would restore honor to his family name, and this supposide Dark Lord is exactly how he'd do it. In 100 years a Malfoy would look through this window over all they owned, and be proud of it. Draco clenched his fist wrinkling the napkin still in his hand as he turned back towards the paper. Standing up he threw the balled up cloth napkin down on the plate and went to get ready.

* * *

Ginny was sitting on a plain wooden bench in the Tornado's dimly lit women's locker room. She was dressed in a black sports bra and a pair of tight dark blue brown leather knee pads and matching shin guards where still strapped on. Ginny's jersey and robes where balled up on the floor in front of her. Her shoulder and elbow pads sat on the bench next to her. A thin layer of sweat glistened in the low light over her shoulders and stomach. Her flaming red hair was stuck to her bare back damp with sweat. She was staring at the dark brown grout in between the off white tiles that made up the floor.

Ginny had just finished her last practice for the week, and was sitting there winding down before stepping into the shower. She could hear Karen and Megan talking from the showers behind a row of lockers behind her. She couldn't make out exactly what they were saying. Their exact words being drowned out by the sound of running water and her own heartbeat.

'Ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five..four…' Ginny counted down in her own head as she took a deep breath in between each number. Ginny's left hand was trembling slightly as she sat there. She reached out with her right hand and gripped the hand tightly. She didn't know why this kept happening. Out of nowhere her heart would start hammering away in her chest, her hands would start shaking, and she wouldn't be able to catch her breath. Ginny leaned forward and ran her hands through her hair pulling harshly wincing. 'Ten...nine...eight...seven..'

"What's taking you so long?" Ginny looked up pulled from her thoughts. Megan was standing at towards the end of the lockers with a towel wrapped around her. Her short dirty blonde hair clung to the back of her neck wet from the shower. Her green eyes where looking Ginny up and down in concern. She was tall for a woman standing at nearly six feet. She had wide shoulders with a toned athletic build. She was one of the only female beaters in the league, and she gave as good as any of the men. "You okay?"

"Yeah just tense from practice." Ginny lied as she pulled her fingers out of her hair and straightened her back.

"We're going out for drinks at a muggle club in Gloucester if you want to come with us." Karen Foley said as she walked up behind Megan. Her long black hair was wrapped up in a towel. A second towel was wrapped around her body like Megan. She was a bit shorter than Ginny, and unlike the redhead who was quite lithe had wide flaring hips.

"That actually sounds perfect right now." Ginny said as she stood up, and started undoing her knee pads and shin guards. "I'm assuming we're apparating there?"

"Yeah Marks coming too actually. We've already been there before. One of us will take you along." Karen said as she pulled off her towel revealing her body without any embarrassment. Megan soon followed suit as they started getting dressed.

"Alright," Ginny said as she stripped off her boots, trousers, and underwear. Ginny quickly stepped out of them and kicked them over towards her jersey. She quickly stripped off her sports bra and tossed it down into the pile to. The team house-elf would wash it all up and drop it off at the Burrow before she even finished showering. "I'll be as quick as I can," she said as she walked past them.

"Take your time," Karen said from over her shoulder. "I have to transfigure Megan and Marks outfits into muggle clothes anyway."

"Got it," Ginny replied as she walked past the row of lockers and turned to her left. Ginny walked into the showers behind a waist high wall covered in the same off white tile as the floor. Ginny walked up to one of silver colored taps and turned it on. Instantly hot water sputtered out from the shower head soaking her. Steam immediately started filling up the rest of the large open shower as Ginny rinsed herself off. Ginny quickly lathered up and scrubbed herself clean. As she rinsed the soap under the hot water she took another deep breath. She could still feel her heart beating in her chest, and there was a deep pit in her stomach. Shaking her head she turned the water off roughly. Ginny walked over to the wall where she had left her towel and wiped herself down.

Ginny made her way back to her locker noticing Megan and Karen where no longer there, and quickly got dressed. Ginny was in luck since she mostly wore muggle clothing anyway she didn't have to transfigure anything. When she finished she was wearing a pair of washed out blue jeans and a tight purple shirt with plain black trainers. Ginny grabbed her purse and pulled her wand out of it. She fixed her hair with a quick spell drying it up and adding a glossy sheen to it. She checked to make sure she still had some muggle money left over from the last time they went out. With two muggle borns on the team going out into the muggle world was a regular occurrence for them. Not that it mattered to her Ginny preferred it. There was less chance of being recognized by someone. When she went out she was just Ginny. She wasn't some solider or one of the surviving Weasley children or Harry Potter's ex. Ginny closed her locker, and left the dull the locker room.

"Finally," A male voice drawled out close to the team exit. Practice was held at the Tornadoes stadium. Which was hidden in the small village of Tutshill near the Welsh border.

"Calm your tits Mark." Ginny said as she approached the group. Mark was one of their Chasers. He was an American recruit with a light Boston accent. He was relatively attractive with wavy blond hair and honey colored eyes. He had a slightly thicker build than most chasers. His muscular physique made him quite popular with the ladies.

"I feel weird dressed up like an no-maj." Mark said as he ignored Ginny's statement. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a slim fitting black button down. He had rolled the sleeves up to his elbows showing off his thick forearms.

"You always complain about that when we go out." Megan said with a sigh as she leaned against the wall looking down on him.

"I'm not complaining, just saying I feel a bit weird is all." Mark said with a shrug as ran his hands through his hair.

"Well get used to it or stop talking about it every time." Megan said as she straightened up. She was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans that hugged her legs, and willowy white sleeveless top. The top was low cut and showed off her chest just a bit. Her dirty blond hair was dry now and hung just below her neck.

"Alright let's get going. I'll take Ginny and Mark you'll take Megan." Karen said as she broke her silence with a small smile. She was wearing a dark blue blouse and skin tight black pants.

"Got it." Mark said as he took hold of Megan's arm. He pulled her in close to him turned on heel and disappeared with her with a loud crack.

"Lets go get our drink on." Karen said with a bright grin as she offered her elbow to Ginny. Ginny smiled and wrapped her arm around Karen's elbow. Karren turned on heel and Ginny felt the familiar sensation of being stretched out as they disappeared.

"I'm so ready to get some tonight!" Mark said as he lead them into the dark muggle club. He was leading the group with a large smile on his face.

"Never quite works out the way you want it to though does it?" Karen asked with a grin as she shot Ginny and Megan a look.

"I doubt it ever has," Ginny said with a laugh as she followed him in. It was a large club filled with loud music. About a hundred muggles where in the club. Dancing, chatting, and drinking away.

"Fuck off!" He replied as he turned back and grinned at them. "Tonight's the night I swear it." He turned back around looking around the club. "A handsome, sexy, charming American boy in London. Who wouldn't want some."

"We're in Gloucester idiot." Megan replied as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Same difference!" Mark said with a shrug.

"I think being American might work against you." Karen said with a loud laugh. "Now if you were Australian you might have a chance."

"You didn't seem to mind." Mark said as they approached the large rectangular bar right in the middle of the room.

"It was a desperate mistake. Not to ever be made again." Karen said as she flicked her black hair over her shoulder. Megan seemed to have a sour look on her face for a moment before it disappeared.

"I need a drink," Megan groaned as she pushed past Mark and got up to the bar.

Ginny got up to the bar and leaned over it looking around. There were a few decent looking blokes there tonight. Maybe she'd get lucky tonight too...well not that she actually expected Mark to get lucky. Mark was always the same he blustered and bragged and than snuck out with Karen to make their one time mistake again and again and again. Then Megan left disappointed because Ginny was pretty sure she liked Mark. Then some nights Ginny would leave with whoever she felt like leaving with, and tonight was definitely one of those nights.

There were three bartenders there right now. One of them noticed the group reach the bar, and approached them. She was a bit shorter than Ginny with light brown hair tied up in a ponytail. She was wearing tight black jeans and a simple black shirt.

"What can I get you guys?" She asked looking over them.

"Beer," Mark said with a bright smile.

"Old fashion," Karen replied rolling her eyes at Mark.

"Martini please," Megan said as she looked around the buzzing club.

"Vodka neat," Ginny finally said softly as she looked past the bartender trying to find her target for the night.

"Sure thing," the bartender replied as she turned to make the drinks her eyes lingering on Ginny for a few moments. The drinks came quickly the bartender lingering on Ginny for a few minutes giving her a smile.

"She likes you Gin," Mark said as he took a swig from his amber bottle. "Looks like you already have someone for the night." He let out a laugh as he turned his back to the bar and leaned up against it. There were a few stools around the bar, but it was mostly standing room. "If you'll excuse me ladies now it's time for the hunter to find his prey."

"That sounds a bit rapey," Karen said as Mark walked off ignoring her. Karen moved closer to Megan and Ginny. "He's an idiot."

"You shagged him." Ginny said with a smirk as she looked at Karen. Karen looked away and shrugged.

"Yeah that was my bad."

Ginny rolled her eyes. She didn't know why those two pretended like they had some awful night. They kept doing it, and didn't really try to hide it.

"Hey there," A tall man about 6'2 approached the group. He had thick brown hair and neatly trimmed goatee. Ginny turned to look at him along with Karen and Megan. It was unclear who he was talking to.

"Want to dance?" He asked pointing at Megan. He was holding a small glass filled with what looked like whiskey or bourbon.

"Me?" Megan asked confused. Megan usually wasn't approached that often. Considering she was taller than pretty much everyone in the room usually.

"Yeah!" He said as he stepped closer. "They're a pretty good band," he shrugged flashing her a smile.

Ginny watched as Megan looked towards Mark across the room trying to talk to a couple of girls sitting together on a small cloth chair. She looked back at Karen who nodded enthusiastically at her. She turned to Ginny who smiled at her and shrugged.

"Yeah you know what I'd like that." She replied stepping forward towards him.

"Great! I'm Daren by the way!" He said loudly over the music as he reached up and grabbed her hand. Ginny watched as Megan was pulled towards the dance area with a smile on her face.

"Good for her," Karen said as she closed the gap between her and Ginny. "Got your sights set on anyone yet?"

"Not yet," Ginny said as she finished her drink and set it down on the bar. The banging in her chest seem to have lessened finally.

"So I read in the Prophet that Harry might be working on a case or something." She said as she smiled at the girl sadly. "Any chance you'll be seeing him?"

"Doubt it," Ginny tried to catch the eye of one of the bartenders. The young woman looked at her and flashed her a smile. Ginny lifted up her empty glass showing it to her. The girl nodded and started working on a fresh drink. "I mean even if he did come see me or go to dinner what would be the point?"

"Go to dinner?"

"Yeah my bloody mum invited him to dinner this Sunday." Ginny grumbled glaring down at her empty glass. "Like he's just gonna show up and everything's going to magically normal." The bartender set a fresh glass on the table and gently took the empty one from Ginny's hand her fingers lingering on Ginny's for a moment longer than they had to. "Harry's gonna show up, and we're all going to smile and laugh. Me and Harry will get married, and mum will smile. That's what she thinks will happen." Ginny took a large sip of her drink before setting it down. "Rons still dead, and Harry is still a self centered prick. Coming to dinner doesn't mean shit."

"Well from what you said Harry spent a lot of time there growing up. Maybe she just wants to see him." Karen said as she finished her drink, but didn't try to order another one right away. She was looking sympathetically at her teammate and her friend. She knew the young girl was still hung up on Harry. She could hear it in her voice when she talked about him. You didn't have that much disdain in your voice for someone you don't love.

"You don't know my mum." Ginny said finishing her drink She lifted it back up the air shaking it around a bit. Than she picked up Karen's and waved it around too. "You know they act like Ron killing himself only fucked Harry up." Ginny said as she looked down at her empty glass. "Ron killed himself and Harry went off the deep end. What about us? What about me, George, Charlie, Bill, Hermione, my dad? What about all of us that didn't get the luxury of having a mental break down?" Ginny said as a male bartender came this time replacing their drinks with a nod. "We kept our shit together, and moved on. Now my mum wants to invite Harry over as if by him being there it'll be alright everyone will hold hands and smile." Ginny stopped as she realized she was starting to ramble. She basically hadn't said anything new and was just starting to repeat herself. She took another large sip.

"Well fuck it. Who cares if he shows up or not. Your a starting seeker for the best quidditch team in the league. You've moved on gotten your life straight." Karen smiled at Ginny trying to lift the girls spirits. Ginny was usually a lot of fun to be around, but every once in a while Ginny would rant like this. "Go out there find yourself a good looking guy and have a good night. Fuck Harry Potter!" Karen lifted her glass with a laugh as several people looked at her with bemusement.

"Yeah fuck Potter!" Ginny said as she lifted her glass and touched Karen's. They both finished off their drinks. "Another round!" Ginny called with a grin!

* * *

Ginny pressed her lips to a matching set roughly. It hadn't taken long for Karen to wander off at the bar. Slowly her and Mark drifted through the club until they met up with each other, and disappeared for the night. Megan never came back from the dance floor. Leaving Ginny there by herself to drink and watch. Ginny felt someone's hands entangle themselves in her long red hair and grip the back of her head. Breaking off from the kiss Ginny pulled back and looked down. She was staring at the bartender from the club.

Her brown hair was out of its ponytail, and cascaded down her back. She was looking up at her with green eyes filled with mirth. Ginny stared at the girls eyes for a moment before she leaned down and crashed her lips against hers. It was rough and swift. The two of them were still outside pressed up against the front door of the bartenders flat. Ginny felt her lips part, and Ginny slid her tongue into the bartenders mouth roughly. Ginny wrapped her hands in the bartenders hair, and roughly pulled her head back. The bartender let out a small yelp. Ginny continued placing kisses down the girls jawline reaching her neck.

"You're an aggressive one aren't you?" The bartender asked with a sigh. Ginny was nipping her neck lightly with her teeth. "Come on let's go in." She moved to push Ginny away and go for her keys.

Ginny pulled back for a moment and waved her hand at the door. There was a light click and she reached over and opened. "Looks like you didn't even lock it." Ginny said roughly as she caught her breath. If the bartender was going to say anything it was lost again as Ginny caught her lips with hers again, and started to guide her into the dark flat. Ginny bit down on the bartenders bottom lip and roughly dragged her teeth back pulling her lip down sucking lightly. Reaching back with her foot Ginny kicked the door shut with a loud bang.

* * *

A tall average sized man was standing in a dark room. The only light came in from a window high up on the wall. A bit of outside light filtered in casting shadows over the room. The man was standing there dressed in a pair of black trousers panting heavily. His hands were gripping the white porcelain of a sink mounted to the wall. Looking up he stared at himself in the cracked mirror hanging on the wall in front of him. Several faces looked back at him through the same narrowed eyes.

"Who are you…." He whispered softly as he leaned closer. "What are we?" He asked again shaking his head roughly. "No stop." He said roughly as he squeezed his eyes close. He started rocking back and forth and let out a loud high pitched whine. "STOP!" He screamed as the images flashed through his minds eyes. Thousands of images over and over again. Flashing through faster than he could comprehend them. He felt as if his skull was being split as sharp ripping pains radiating from his head down his spine over his body down into his fingers and toes. He let out a his screeched pitch unbecoming of even the youngest babe. Then without warning launched his head into the mirror shattering it now. Suddenly the pain stopped, and all that remained was a dull ache where his forehead had hit the mirror. Warm red blood flowed down his forehead over his eyes and down his cheeks. It slipped off his face and onto his shirtless chest and the floor.

Reaching up he picked up a thin brown wand from the edge of the sink. With a quick wave he sealed the cut and removed the blood.

"It's time again," he whispered softly to know one before turning to leave the dimly lit room.

 **A/N: Sorry for the delay everyone. Work got a bit hectic this week. I'll try to get another chapter up by Saturday. Hope you like this one. I know its a bit different than usual, but Draco and Ginny are going to play a large part of this story. I wanted to give you a small look into their daily lives, and show how they've changed since the war.**


	6. Chapter 6

" _Whoever is doing this needs to be stopped immediately. We need to hunt them down and kill them. No arrests and no trial."_

"What do you think they're talking about? Jamie asked the rest of her squad. The meeting had ended rather abruptly after Harry Potter showed up. They were all sitting at their desks looking over at Neville's closed office glancing back to each other nervously.

"Well whatever it is it ain't good." Seamus said as he ran his fingers through his beard. "I reckon Harry's right though. If these are ritual killings we're dealing with a pretty dark wizard. Might be best to just kill 'em."

"That's not how things work around here." Anthony said glaring at Neville's office from his desk. He looked back at Seamus through narrowed eyes. "Potter's always been a bit unstable. He shows up now after years of hiding and demands we put a kill order on this guy. It just shows he's as crazy as people say."

"Oy you better show some bloody respect." Seamus said sitting up quickly glaring at Anthony. "How many times did Harry's training save your own skin? You think you'd be alive right now if you hadn't been in Dumbledore's Army, or the training he put us through after the academy?"

"Lets not forget that he actually killed You-Know-Who." Katherine said softly looking between the two of them. She really hoped she wouldn't have to get in between another one of their fights.

"Anthony's right," Jamie said softly looking around at all of them. Dean was the only one who hadn't voiced his opinion yet. Seamus turned his glare on the brown haired witch. Jamie resisted the urge to wince at the Irishman's heated look. "About the kill order not that Potter is unstable." Jamie muttered softly as she looked at him. "Everyone deserves a fair trial."

"Not everyone," Dean said breaking the silence as he laced his fingers together behind his head. "It's Nevilles call in the end, but If we find whos doing this, and have definitive proof. We'd probably be better off killing him."

"Finally some reasonable thinking here." Seamus said as he waved his arm towards Dean wildly. "This monsters been hacking witches and wizards up and throwing bits of the bodies around like rag dolls. If anyone deserves it its him."

"We don't know the whole story." Katherine said as she ran her fingers through her short auburn hair. "What if whoever is doing this is sick. They can't help themselves."

"I doubt a madman has the ability to use Ritual magic." Dean said as he shrugged and looked away from the office and back towards his teammates.

"If it even is Ritual magic." Anthony said slamming his hands down on his desk. "Are we really supposed to believe; that without any more information than us Potter figured this out on his own?" Anthony lifted his hands up in the air frustrated. "Even that Unspeakable seemed shocked, and if that's who we all think it is...she'd of been the first to figure it out."

"Who do you all think it is?" Jamie asked through narrowed eyes. The rest of the team seemed to know who the Unspeakable is, but wasn't saying anything.

"You know we can't say. They're identities are supposed to be secret." Anthony grumbled as he looked back over towards Neville's office.

"Hermione Granger." Seamus said as he glared at Anthony. 'Fuck him,' Seamus thought to himself.

"The Hermione Granger?" Jamie asked leaning down in an excited whisper as she looked around at the faces of her team. Hermione was famous not only for her part in the war, but her work on magical theory. Rumors had it that there wasn't a single branch of magic Hermione Granger didn't know about.

"Seamus!" Anthony barked as he looked over at him. He stood up and glared down at him. "That's treason!"

"Treason are you out of your bloody mind!" Seamus shouted back as he stood to meet Anthony's gaze. "It isn't actually against the law to tell someone you bloody wanker."

"Seamus," Dean said reaching up to grab Seamus' arm. Seamus pulled his arm away and motioned with a wave for Dean to stay out of this.

"You know I'm getting really sick of your boot licking shit. Ya know? When Harry was was our captain you where up his arse constantly. You're nothing more than an arrogant two faced little shit." Seamus said as he leaned over his desk and got his face as close to Anthony's as possible.

Anthony's face flushed a bright red and his heart started beating rapidly in his chest. Clenching his fists he leaned over the desk and drew his wand.

"Do it prick. Fucking do it you cry baby twat!" Seamus shouted as he drew his own wand. At this point the whole office had stopped what they were doing, and had gone dead silent. Everyone watched eagerly as the two of them shouted at each other. This wasn't the first time the two of them had been at eachothers throats. To be honest most the aurors there wondered how the two of them still had jobs. Let alone remained on the same team.

"Seamus! That's enough!" Dean said in a commanding voice as he finally stood up and grabbed the Irishman. "You too Tony!" Dean dean snapped pointing at the blond haired auror. "We're adults god damn it. We might have different opinions, but we should agree to disagree and shut up." Dean grabbed Seamus' shoulder and pushed him back down in his chair and turned to glare at Anthony

"He started it," Anthony snapped pointing at the still seething Seamus.

"I'm finishing it! I'm your superior, and you're going to listen to me or go home!" Dean said as he pointed at the seat behind Anthony.

Jamie watched Dean with wide eyes. Dean was usually very quiet and reserved, and you'd never guess he was their lieutenant. Dean just didn't seem the type. He and Seamus usually were off goofing about doing their own thing. When he was there he never seemed to lorde the status over them. Sometimes Jamie forgot they even had a lieutenant at all. However right now Dean had just proved to everyone why Neville had picked him.

"Your friends the one supporting the man who got our teammate killed." Anthony sneered as he sat down in his seat with his arms crossed. "Delusional prick just like Potter."

Silence descended the team as they all avoided looking at each other. Jamie didn't really know the whole history behind Harry's command, but she knew something had happened a few years ago. Jamie wasn't too sure if Katherine even knew what happened.

"Thats bullshit and you know it." Seamus grumbled not as as passionate as before. "Things happen on a case not even Harry can predict everything that can happen."

"Maybe if he hadn't been high." Anthony retorted still glaring at Seamus.

"What the hell are you all talking about?" Jamie asked as she looked at all of them. She was usually a bit more reserved, but she was tired of guessing everything that was going on here.

"I'd actually like to know too. It's been almost three years, and none of you filled me in on what actually happened." Katherine said as she looked between them all. Seamus and Anthony where now glaring in the opposite direction and Dean had sat back down. Dean let out a heavy sigh and dragged his hand over his face.

"A few years ago we were tracking a group of werewolves from Fenrir Greyback's pack. Fenrir died at The Battle of Hogwarts, but some of his pack got away just after You-Know-Who went down. We'd gotten word they were holed up in some hovel out near Heathfield. So we planned a strike. We got there and it was this abandoned shack near the outskirts of some woods. Harry thought it would be an easy cleanup job. Sent Justin around the back by himself to head up the rear, and get any that got away." Dean took a deep breath and shrugged. "It was the wrong call. Harry thought they were all in the shack, but they weren't they had two people patrolling around the shack. They caught Justin on his own and killed him. Neville wanted to go with Justin as backup, but Harry denied his request. He said Justin could handle standing there doing nothing by himself."

"If Harry had let Neville go Justin would be alive right now." Anthony said as he crossed his arms and turned his glare back on the office.

"Or they'd both be dead," Seamus shot back. "You can't predict shit like that. Harry had good reason to think they were all in the shack."

"Being high?" Anthony shot back to Seamus.

"Why do you keep saying he was high?" Jamie asked looking towards Anthony. She couldn't believe someone like Harry Potter would actually get high. Let alone on the job.

"You saw him in that meeting room. That potion he sucked down is the Nervaio Potion. He's been taking it since The Battle of Hogwarts." He replied with a snarl on his face. "Take enough of that, and your nerves, anxiety, and even fear all you can't even handle feeling all of that anymore without having a breakdown so you keep taking it. Then it stops working and you take more, and more, and more" Anthony turned back and looked at Jamie. "Harry's been shooting those down like water for like anxiety and fear keep aurors on our toes. Makes us conscious of our surroundings, and makes us listen to our instincts. Harry went into that raid as fearless as you are when you're laying in bed night in your own home. He wasn't scared that anything could happen, because he couldn't feel it at all."

"So that's why Harry quite then. He got caught abusing potions, and they had him quit?" Katherine asked looking at the somber team. The atmosphere in around the team had gotten even colder if that was possible.

"They couldn't prove shit." Seamus said looking at witch. "Harry quit because he felt like it was his fault."

"Sounds like it was." Jamie said softly as she looked down at her desk.

"Would it be Nevilles fault if he made a call that got you killed in a raid?" Dean asked the witch.

"Well yes...no...I...I don't know." Jamie stuttered as she changed her answer and looked away flushed.

"We're aurors, and sometimes we get killed. Its part of the job, and the only person whose at fault is the person that cast the spell." Dean said as he crossed his arms and looked down at his own desk. "We knew what we were signing up for, and so did Justin."

"Unless Harry really was high." Katherine interjected looking between the dark skinned auror and the bright red auror. "If Harry had been abusing that potion and took to much before going on that raid then it is his fault. Hes was supposed to be your captain, and guide you. If he would of made another call sober it is his fault Justin died."

"I'm going home." Anthony said as he stood up suddenly. His chair tipped back a moment from the speed and force of his movement. The chair fell back into place with a small thunk. Without sparing anyone else a look the flushed auror stomped away from his team his fists clenched.

"I'm guessing they were friends he and Justin." Katherine muttered looking at Dean.

"Yeah they got pretty close during the academy."

"I hope whatever they're talking about is going better than this." Jamie murmured as she reached over and pulled a folder over to herself.

"Me too," Dean muttered as he laced his fingers around his head again. Resting his head in his hands he looked up at the ceiling. "Me too," he muttered again. However he doubted it was going to much better than their conversation.

* * *

"God damn it Harry." Neville said as he slammed the office door closed behind him. "Hunt him down and kill him?" Neville stormed past Harry who was standing in front of Neville's desk with his arms crossed. Harry watched out of the corner of his eye as Hermione pulled off her Unspeakable mask and set it down on the side table near the door. She pulled back her hood, and turned her eyes onto Harry.

"You know what kind of position you just put me in?" Neville asked slamming his hand down on the desk. "The whole point of this new administration was to do things differently than the last one. If we put out a kill order the press will have our heads."

"If we don't put one out they'll have your heads." Harry said with a shrug as he sat down in one of the chairs in front of Neville's desk. Reaching into his coat pocket Harry pulled out a pack of cigarettes and slid one in between his lips.

"You can't smoke in here." Neville said as he glared at Harry. Harry looked up at him, and lit the end of cigarette with a snap of his fingers. "Jesus christ." Neville said as she shook his head.

"Harry you're being ridiculous." Hermione said disapprovingly as she looked down at him with narrowed eyes.

"Look the Prophet is already calling this serial killer the new Dark Lord." Harry said as he tossed the pack onto Neville's desk. The cigarettes landed a few inches from his hands, and Neville stared down at them with a glare. "As much as I hate to say it they're probably right. Who ever this is...they're making a bid for power."

"What makes you say that?" Hermione asked as she walked by Harry, and took a seat in the chair next to his.

"Look Ritual magic is dangerous, unpredictable, and requires power. There are maybe a dozen or so witches and wizards in magical Europe that could pull it off. Three of them are sitting in this room." Harry said as he turned his head up and exhaled a large stream of smoke. The smoke rose and seemed to condense around a weird plant with blue and purple spikes hanging from its leaves.

"That's a reasonable deduction, but still a bit of stretch to assume they're looking to take over the vacant position left by Voldemort." She replied crossing her legs and looking back at Neville.

Neville sighed and sat down behind his desk. He reached over and plucked a cigarette from the pack. Neville lit the end with a wave of his hand.

"You can't smoke in here." Harry said softly as he looked at the auror.

Neville looked up and glared at Harry. "I asked for your help. Not for you to come in and here and turn everything on its head."

"Well that's really on you isn't it. You didn't specify what kind of help you wanted." Harry took another drag of his cigarette.

"Harry, this is really serious." Hermione said looking at him with an exasperated expression. "If you're right about everything... then whoever is doing this is at least as powerful as us."

"Could be stronger," Harry said with a shrug. "That's why we need a kill order. We need to take care of this right now. If we fuck around with a trial we're left open for mistakes. He could escape or it could be his plan to get caught. There another 100 things that could go wrong on top of that."

"You should of brought this up to me in private. If I issue a kill order my team is going to think I'm taking orders from you." Neville said as he sat back and crossed his arms.

"If you don't they're going to question why you aren't taking Harry's advice." Hermione said softly looking at Neville and back at Harry. "He's right you should of brought this up to him in private. It doesn't look good either way now."

"Well I guess I could go to Crawley and just take the case from you." Harry said with a shrug as he flicked his cigarette away from himself. It vanished before it hit the floor.

"Harry!" Hermione said harshly glaring at him. She couldn't believe he was doing this. Coming in unannounced demanding kill orders. Now he was threatening to go to the Head Auror, and take the case from Neville. What was he thinking?

"You think Crawley would give you the case? Wait a minute...you think he'd actually reinstate you?" Neville asked anger growing in his voice. "You really have lost your mind Potter. I don't know why I even bothered asking for your help on this."

"Come on I think it'd be pretty easy. I'm sure he'd love to take credit for bringing me back into the fold. Imagine the headlines: _**Harry Potter Brought Back to Solve Killings**_. It would look brilliant in the papers. Then when I solve it, and kill the murdering psychopath he'll get all the credit."

"Not even Crawley would reinstate a potions addict." Neville said as he stomped his cigarette out on his desk angrily. "You're a liability to the aurors not an asset, and this just proved it."

"You're the one who cares more about what your team thinks of you then catching a murderer."

"I think we should probably just take a step back an-" Hermione was interrupted by Neville who leaned over and spoke.

"I'm responsible for this team, and I'm the one whose name gets put down in the case files. Whether I like it or not I do have to care about what they think of me. I need them to trust me when we go out into the field. If they start questioning which of us is in charge or whos making calls they might hesitate to act when they need to." Neville said harshly before leaning back in his chair. "All it takes is for Seamus or Anthony to question whose in charge and it will all fall to shit. You know regardless of what I do now Seamus is going to act like the kill order is active because of you. Thats a problem especially if you're going to continue working on this case. The last thing I need is for Seamus to follow your orders over mine, and get himself killed."

"Like Justin?" Harry snarled back at Neville.

"Harry!" Hermione snapped glaring at him with smoldering brown eyes.

"Yeah actually just like Justin."

"Neville!"

"Fine I'll do it myself." Harry said casually as she sat back and started picking his fingernails.

"You won't do a goddamn thing." Neville said harshly. "Don't forget you're a civilian now, and if you go out there and hunt this guy down and kill him it's murder."

"What are you going to do arrest me?" Harry looked up at Neville with a slightly bemused expression.

"Yeah I will actually."

"You and what army?" Harry asked as he rubbed his chin. "It's an army you'd need to take me down."

"This is getting us nowhere. You too are being idiots. Harry your no longer an auror, and you're here on Neville's request. Stop fighting with him. Neville you asked Harry to come here and provide insight and help you solve this case. He's brought us a huge potential lead we need to follow up on. Both of you put your cocks away, and start working together." Hermione let out a loud frustrated groan as she finished and glared at both of them. Neville looked away a bit ashamed. Harry on the other hand laughed. "What's so funny?" Hermione snapped.

"I honestly never thought I'd ever here you say the word cocks in my life." Harry wiped the tears from his eyes. "Honestly I just remember this sweet 16 year old bookworm who wouldn't even swear, and now your saying cocks."

"Damn it Harry I'm being serious here." Hermione said with a huff as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah I can tell you're using your serious voice. You even have your serious face on." Harry said with a pout. Sighing he shrugged. "Lets just compromise. How about you authorize the use of lethal force. That way we can kill him if we have to."

"Fine," Neville grumbled as he ran his hands over his face.

"Why do I have a feeling that's what you really wanted anyway." Hermione muttered looking at Harry with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm fine with either. I'd prefer if we just killed him, but since I know we'll be forced to anyway this works too."

"Your a right prick you know that Harry?" Neville asked as he sagged in his chair staring at his Mimbulus Mimbletonia.

"So I've heard." Harry said as he stood up and stretched a bit. "I'll take literally everything you have on this case. Once you get that to me I'll take it home and see if I can piece anymore of this together."

"I think it might be best if you come over to my place." Hermione said quickly standing up. She didn't know what had happened to Harry in the last 16 or so hours, but she didn't want him to revert back. If he went back to Grimmauld Place he might fall back into old habits.

"What? Why?" Harry asked frowning at her. Thinking about it he was pretty sure he'd never actually been to Hermione's house.

"A lot of these are sensitive Ministry documents. I brought you what I did because we were desperate. If you really want all of the case files they should stay with a Ministry worker. " Hermione knew it was a bogus excuse, but she hopped there was still enough of gullible Harry in there to fall for it. "Besides Neville only has the one room, and we can all work there the three of us, and the rest of the team."

"Isn't your identity supposed to be a secret?" Harry asked as he looked at the Unspeakable mask.

"Generally yes, but there's no exact rule…" Hermione said trailing off looking to Neville with wide eyes.

"Uh yeah Hermione's right if this is really as serious as you say it is might be best to make this a more private investigation, and she does have the room. It's not like the team doesn't know its her anyway." Neville said quickly catching on to what Hermione was trying to do.

"Fine...fine," Harry said waving his hand in surrender. He turned to leave and said, "Whiskey and or bourbon, I take breakfast at 10:00AM, and make sure your Contraceptive Charm is up to date."

"HARRY!" Hermione shouted with a hiss at the end. She watched as he smirked at her and pulled the door to Neville's office open.

"Guess I'll meet you in the lobby in a few minutes." Harry called as he walked away ignoring Hermione's angry look.

"At least we killed a few birds with one stone." Neville said with a shrug. "He's out of the house looking...well not great, but not horrible." Neville said the last part like a question. "He also brought us a pretty big break in the case."

"Yeah hopefully we can keep this up."

"You're not going to fix him in a week or two Hermione. He'll likely never be the same Harry ever again. You need to be okay with that." Neville said softly as he looked at her. She was still staring at the open door.

"I'd be okay with just getting him off that potion for now." Hermione said as she stood up and grabbed her mask. "Harry's always been this way. The sarcasm and remarks I mean. When he gets upset he kind of attacks you like that. That's not new his tongues just become a bit sharper since Hogwarts." Hermione slide her mask on and lifter her hood. "You know he just tricked you into authorize lethal force right. He plans to kill this person as soon as he catches them."

"Yeah I know. Very Slytherin of him."

"He told me once that the hat wanted to put him there. He used to think it was because of Voldemort, and later the Horcrux." Hermione turned to leave the office. "Though I don't think that's the case. I think the hat just wanted him there because of him. I'll gather the files and bring them to him."

"Thanks Hermione."

* * *

"A lot of them see you as a traitor." Theodore Nott said as he looked at Draco impassively. His bland brown eyes wandered around taking in their surroundings. Draco and Nott were sitting a dingy bar at the very far end of Knockturn Alley. A lone barman stood behind the bar stocking bottles. Another three patrons sat huddled in cloaks in the opposite corner of Draco and Nott. A thick layer of dust clung to the splintered wooden floor. Foot prints could be seen clearly as if they had been made in the snow. Only a handful of dull yellow candles, and a small fire lit the bar. Making it uncomfortably warm and stuffy in the cramped filthy building. Shadows danced on the bare walls as the flames flickered with almost every breath someone took.

"Really?" Draco asked pulling a face. He looked down at his drink unmoved by Nott's statement. "I'm one of the only ones that can still show their face in public even." Draco drawled on as he looked back up. "Half of their families are dead, or in Azkaban. I've prospered since Hogwarts unlike most them."

"That isn't something I'd brag about," Nott said as he crossed his arms. "That's part of the problem." He pursed his thin pale lips as he looked at the platinum blonde in front of him. "You abandoned the Dark Lord at the last moment, and then it turns out your mother saved _his_ life. We all know closed trial or not. Saint Potter asked for mercy for the Malfoys because you saved him."

"I played the field. The Dark Lord was becoming unstable, and was losing his grip. It's not my fault the rest of you couldn't see that." Draco sneered at Nott as he meet his eyes unflinchingly. "I haven't abandoned the old ways any more than you and your group of miscreants have. You're no idiot Nott you know what I've been up to. The collection I've accumulated, and the skills I've mastered. Imagine how you might be rewarded for brining a wizard of my talents into the fold."

"If I'm not skinned alive for even suggesting it first." Nott snapped back suddenly becoming quite angry. He looked around the dim bar making sure no one had noticed his reaction. Turning back to Draco he looked at him with narrowed eyes. "If I'm even going to consider doing this you better make it worth my while."

"What did you have in mind?" Draco sneered at the man in front of him. Nott was a Slytherin through and and through. Though his execution of manipulations was sloppy at best. Nott wasn't particularly skilled in the intricacies and subtly of the art of persuasion. At best he was a dull cleaver when he needed to be much more like a thin curved dagger.

"There was a rumor that you had come into possession of a staff…" Nott trailed off looking at Draco intently. Draco could see the hunger in his eyes as they bore into him. The fool would kill himself if he ever laid a pinky on it.

"You really think if I had something like a staff I'd be here asking you for introductions?" Draco snapped at him with a snarl. He crossed his arms and glared at him. "Why wouldn't I just offer the staff to this new Dark Lord to curry favor, instead of asking you. Use your brain Nott."

Nott recoiled back as if he'd been slapped. Suddenly a brief flash of rage filed his otherwise dull brown eyes. "How dare you speak to me like that. You come to me seeking acceptance into our ranks, and then you insult me."

"That wasn't an insult Nott. If I had an actual functioning staff I wouldn't give it to you for something so simple." Draco stood and looked down at Nott with narrowed eyes. "Someone like you should've known better. Come to me with a more reasonable offer, and make sure it's something I can actually deliver. If you can't do that I'll figure out another way in."

Hopefully the bluff would work. However his irritation wasn't a bluff. He didn't know how Nott found out he had a staff, but he needed to figure it out. Not only that how could Nott dare to ask such a high price. A fully functioning staff could fetch more than the whole Nott family fortune on the black market. He was dumber than Draco remembered. A real Slytherin would know better than to ask for a physical object in return. If it was Draco on the other end of this dance he'd be smart enough to let the fool owe him something. You never knew when you needed a favor. Draco turned to leave, and started walking out of the dusty old bar.

"Wait!" Nott practically shouted. For a brief moment the other visitors stopped what they were doing and glanced at the bar. The barkeep looked up to glare at them. "Wait…" Nott hissed out again this time much lower.

"Why? You've clearly proved you're a wasting my time." Draco snarled back as he turned around his voice barely a whisper. "You sat here and insulted my honor, claimed I had abandoned the old ways, and then you demanded something I don't have and more valuable than you could hope understand in return for a favor you haven't even fulfilled yet. You're lucky I don't cut your throat and leave you to die in one of these dirty alleys like a filthy Mudblood." Draco seethed out as he looked at Nott piercingly. Nott visibly wilted under Draco's gaze.

"W-what about those daggers?" Nott stuttered at first, but quickly found his confidence. "The ones you bought at Darogs last year. Did you ever manage to repair them?"

"One of them," he lied.

"Then I'll take it." Nott looked around and straightened up in his seat filled with false bravado. "Bring me one of those, and I'll bring you to the next meeting."

"I'll have one of my elfs bring it to you personally." Draco replied back before turning to leave. A few steps away he turned back and looked at Nott. His face devoid of any overt emotion. After making eye contact Draco spoke, "if you trick me or lie to me. I will kill you and whatever family you have left." Draco watched as Nott clenched his teeth, and before he could respond Draco turned back around.

Taking the last few steps to the entrance he pulled open the heavy door made of warped and rotting wood, and left.

* * *

Draco was once again standing in his attic. The sun was setting outside Malfoy Manor, and the light was filtering through the stained glass windows. The room was filled with dark orange and red beams of light. A bit of dust danced through the air in the sun beams. Draco was standing there dressed in a simple long sleeved grey shirt and black trousers. His arms were crossed as he stood over one of the many shelves in the attic. Sitting there on thin bit of black cloth where two daggers.

They were simple daggers made of steel. The blades where slightly curved and about 5 inches long. The handles were made of individual pieces of steel that had been twisted and woven together into weave. A simple black strip of leather was wrapped around the handles for grip. Embedded into the butt of each dagger where roughly cut pieces of pitch black Lazurite. Draco picked one of the daggers up, and drew it from its black leather sheath. The polished steel glinted in the evening light. Intricate runes had been etched into the spine on either side of the blade from the base upto just below the tip.

When Draco had found the daggers they had been tarnished and battered. The enchantments on the blade had failed, and they were practically worthless. It had taken him a month to strip back the magic on the blade to figure out what enchantments had been placed on them. It had taken another month to interpret the runic array on the blade. Along with sharpening and polishing enchantments the blades held two other nasty enchantments. Anyone cut with the blade wouldn't be able to close the wound magically or through normal muggle means. The only way Draco knew to close the would would be to strip away the affected flesh, and regrow it. Depending on where you were actually cut with the blade it would be nearly impossible to heal. The second enchantment brought pain. Draco didn't know how much exactly but he expected it was quite debilitating.

Draco doubted he could get away with disenchanting the one he planned to give to Nott, and enchanting it with something less deadly. Nott was an idiot, but his father was the one who made the Ministries time turners. He was sure Nott would notice something like that. Draco slipped the blade back into its sheath and set it aside on a different shelf. Draco rolled the black strip of cloth over the other blade slowly and neatly. When he was finished he held the black bundled cloth in his hands for a few moments.

"Pipsky," Draco called out softly. With a small pop a short house-elf appeared next to Draco. She was wearing a white silk pillowcase with the Malfoy crest stitched to the over the right shoulder. "Bring this to Theodore Nott, and tell him to remember what I said earlier."

"Of course Master Malfoy," She muttered softly with a deep bow. She took the black bundle and disappeared with another soft pop.

Draco turned and picked up the dagger he had set aside, and held it up. It didn't matter if Nott had the other dager. Soon Draco would meet this new Dark Lord and plunge its sister into his back, and then he'd use iti to cut Nott's throat and take the dagger he gave him back. Draco drew the blade out from the sheath and looked at the polished blade. He could see his grey eyes reflected in the steel and smirked. His and his family's honor would finally be restored. Draco sheathed the dagger with snap and turned to leave the attic. He had plans to draw out.

* * *

The sun was setting over London, and Diagon Alley was buzzing with energy. Witches and wizards where bustling about doing their shopping or meeting up for plans later that evening. People could be heard laughing and talking loudly their voices filled the air coming to together forming a low roar. Children shrieked and giggled as they ran around their parents legs or played together off the main street.

"Cauldrons half off!" An older witch called out as she stood in front of shop. "Cauldrons are half off!"

The man stood at the end of small alley near Gringotts that came to a dead end. His dark eyes tracked the people walking back and forth. For a moment they rested on a pair of children running around holding toy brooms. An older witch leaned down and admonished them before straightening out and continuing her conversation with another witch. The man opened his jaw as wide as he could straining the muscles. Then with loud snap brought his teeth crashing together.

"No...no...no," he whispered softly as he reached up and ran his fingers through his wavy black hair. He gently rocked back and forth as he pulled his hair as hard as he could. "Why? I don't understand. Why?" He asked out loud as he started to pace around the alley.

"No! NO!" The man shouted as he pulled his hands out his hair and brought them down to his side. One of the witches had heard the man and turned to look at him. He was staring down at the street forzeen.

"You there! Everything okay?" She asked as she moved closer to the alley. Her friend followed close behind and put her hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe we should get the DMLE Evelynn," She said softly as she pulled back on her friends shoulder.

"What's wrong with him mum?" One of the children asked as they stopped what they were doing to stare at the frozen man. He was about 8 years old with dirty blond hair, and bright blue eyes.

"I don't know honey," Evelynn cooed softly giving her son a small smile. Turning back she looked down the alley with narrowed eyes. He looked so familiar to her. She could of sworn she'd seen that man before. "I'm gonna go get some Officers I'm sure they'll be able to help you out!" She called down the alley. She held her hand out for her son who reached up and grabbed it. "Come on let's go get someone," she muttered to her friend who nodded.

"Come on luv," The woman said as she held her hand out. A young girl about 9 with black pigtails and brown eyes reached up and grabbed her mother's hand. The woman turned to leave with her friend when all of a sudden she found herself unable to move.

The man looked up finally his eyes staring down at the woman and their children. As they turned to leave he pulled out a wand and lifted it up. They all froze unable to move or make a single noise. A large grin broke out over the mans face, and an almost whimsical look crossed his face. With a flick of his wrist the the four of them lifted off the ground and came flying down the alley. It was time.

 **A/N: Hello thanks for reading my latest chapter. We're finally getting started here on the story! Someone in the reviews asked why this was tagged as Draco/Ginny. Not to spoil anything, but its tagged that because as of right now it's the only pairing I've actually decided on for sure. As for the Harry/Hermione EDIT: Just quickly editing my A/N Here after some confusion. Rereading it I can see why some people might think that Harry/Hermione is not the main pairing. It is what I meant to come across and say was that this story was always intended to be a Harry/Hermione story however its not going to play a huge part. This story is mainly about them coming to together to heal.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Uh excuse me...Mr. Potter sir," Harry looked up towards the voice a cigarette stuck in between his lips. He was leaning against a brick wall in the Ministry of Magic's lobby. One of the guards from the security desk had approached him. He was wearing a blue security outfit with a bronze badge stuck to his chest. The badge itself was a bit old, and had obviously been around the block a few times. The triangle shaped badge had the words _Ministry Security_ etched into them. Over the uniform he wore a pair of battered blue robes with black trim. He had a narrow face, and was obviously not much older than Harry himself. His brown hair had already started to recede slightly.

"I-I hate to disturb you Mr. Potter, but I don't think ya can do that here." The man motioning towards Harry's cigarette with his hand. He was clearly nervous about approaching him.

"Well…" Harry said trailing off as he stuck his hand out towards the man.

"Gerald sir," he said as he reached up and wiped his forehead with frayed sleeve of his robe.

"Gerald," Harry continued as he took a drag of his cigarette. "I actually used to be an auror here. Did you know that?"

"O-of course sir," he replied nodding his head up and down. "Any wizard worth his salt knows your story."

'My story,' Harry thought as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Well then if you know I was an auror; then it would be safe to assume I'd read the Ministry handbook right?"

"Well yeah," Gerald responded as he looked around nervously.

"Then that means I can assure you Gerald, that there is no rule against smoking in the Ministry." Harry took another drag of his cigarette and blew the smoke up towards the ceiling. There actually wasn't a rule against it, but only because wizards considered smoking a muggle habit.

"Well yes, but the thing is you can't do it in most muggle buildings sir."

Gerald was flushed red and looking down at his feet. He obviously hadn't wanted to come over to Harry, and ask him to stop. Harry looked over Gerald's shoulder to see an angry looking man that very much resembled his Uncle Vernon.

"Look Gerald I know your boss wanted you to come over here. Tell him that Harry Potter told him to fuck off. Then tell him if he gives you any trouble I'll have him out on the streets on his fat arse." The man looked shocked his eyes wide as he looked back at his boss, and then back to Harry. "Then I'll make sure you get his job plus a raise." Harry took a final drag of his cigarette, and stepped to the side. Looking right at the angry man he blew out his smoke and flicked the butt at him. The butt vanished before it hit the ground.

"O-of course sir." Gerald nodded roughly and turned around and walked over to the security desk as fast as his feet could carry him.

Harry took his eyes off the retreating Gerald, and let them wonder over the atrium. Large fireplaces still lined the walls. Seeing as it was getting closer to the end of the day several people were starting to filter out of the Ministry. A few fireplaces had short lines as witches and wizards patiently waited their turn to floo. Large groups of wizards and witches gathered in the designated apparatin points right before the fireplaces on the left and right of the security desk. Harry reached into his pants pocket and drew out his pack of cigarettes. He slipped one between his lips and lit it with a snap of his fingers.

'These people,' Harry thought as a look of contempt passed over his face. 'How many of them were content to hide in their homes four years ago? How many of them went with it? Complied with the deaths and imprisonment of hundreds of muggle-borns and half-bloods?' Harry took another drag as his eyes settled on the fountain. It had been rebuilt for the third time after Shacklebolt took office.

Five gold statues stood side by side in a circle around a large fountain of gushing water. A large regal wizard stood there with pointed wizards hat. His wand pointed straight up as a stream of water flowed from it. Next to the wizard was a smaller witch with her wand in a similar position. To the right of the wizard was centaur equally as large. With an arrow notched in his bow he had it drawn and raised up. Water sprayed from the tip of the arrow arcing over to the statue to the witches left. The water connected with a house-elf standing there proud. His hand was out receiving the water from the centaurs bow. Next to them was the biggest statue, it was a giant his hands out to his sides palms up. A big smile stretched across his face as he looked at all of them. It was supposed to signify this administration's new focus on equality, and unity. Harry personally thought it was bit to on the nose. Not to mention gaudy and flamboyant.

Harry's eyes traveled past the statue towards the end of the atrium resting them on another new statue that had been built. It was large standing at 13 feet tall, carved from a single block of white marble. Harry's eyes traveled down past the pointed wizards cap, over the square spectacles that sat perched at the end of crooked nose, and over the long beard that reached down its midsection. The robes that had been carved into marble where decorated with stars. The stars themselves had been inlaid with the finest goblin silver, and gently rotated around the robes. The carving stopped just after his knees leaving a block of polished marble for the base.

'Albus Dumbledore,' Harry thought as he took another drag from his cigarette. After all these years Harry still didn't know what to think of the former Headmaster. McGonagall had sent him a few owls over the years. Dumbledore's portrait had asked to speak to him several times. Harry had ignored each invitations. Dumbledore had been there when Voldemort had struck him with the killing curse. He had helped Harry make the decision to go back and finish the fight. That didn't mean Harry forgave the man for hiding the fact a piece of Voldemort's soul was inside of him. 'In the end you caused almost as much harm as Voldemort.' Harry thought spitefully as he finished his cigarette vanished it.

"Harry," Hermione said his name softly as she walked up to him. She was no longer dressed in her Unspeakable robes. Instead she was wearing a dark red sleeveless turtleneck and black pants. Harry locked eyes with her for a moment before he looked back at Dumbledore's statue.

"Ready to go?" Harry asked as he pushed himself off the wall, and turned to look at her. She was holding a bundle of files and was looking at him hesitantly.

"There's been another killing," she said with a soft whisper. Her chocolate eyes locked with Harry's own. "Neville's team is on their way there now. It was in Diagon Alley this time." She stepped forward and grabbed Harry's hand with hers. "Do you think you'd be okay if you went?"

"Of course," Harry whispered harshly as he gently pulled his hand out of hers. "You should go home though."

"What? Why?" Hermione asked with a confused look. She frowned at Harry her lips pursed. 'What was he trying to do?'

"You're not in your robes, or mask." Harry said with a shrug as he smirked and took a step towards one of the fire places. "I mean if you want to put all that back on and meet me there you can. I just figured it'd be a waste of your time. I can fill you in on everything, and Neville will write up a report.

"Well seeing as you don't know where I live, and I'm not on the Floo Network…" Hermione trailed off as she looked back at the lifts. "I'll just meet you there." Hermione said with a shrug.

"Whatever floats your boat." Harry said as he reached into small silver dish and pulled out a handful of floo powder. Harry stepped into the fire place and turned towards Hermione. "Diagon Alley!" Harry called out as he dropped the floo powder. The fireplace sprang to life with bright emerald green flames. The flames flared up consuming Harry's body before disappearing completely with a woosh.

* * *

"Come on Ginny," George said as he leaned against the sales counter. His flaming red hair was hanging down over his face covering his missing ear. He looked at his sister with a smirk. "You really think you stand a chance against the Cannons next week? I mean I know your the best Seeker in the league, but they have the best Keeper in the league."

"Best Keeper?" Ginny asked with a laugh as she sat on a stool off to the side of the counter. She was at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley visiting George. He was wearing a sparkling silver dress shirt, and lime green vest. Tucked under the vest was dark purple tie with a golden W sown on the front of the knot. Ginny had no idea how her brother decided what to wear when he woke up in the morning. It was always on the fine line between stylish and ridiculous. "Wood is decent and all, but I'd hardly call him the best Keeper."

"Look at his record. Even if its been a bit of an off year for him he still has the best numbers." George said as he lifted his hand in the air with a look of outrage.

"Yeah overall, but this year he's barley in the top five." Ginny said with a snort as she looked away from her brother and rolled her eyes. Like always Ginny had snuck out of the bartenders flat after she'd gone to sleep, and got home early in the morning. This time without having to sit down and talk to her mother for an hour. A few of George's employees were running around the store cleaning up, and fixing the shelves. The store was empty now as it was getting closer to closing time. Ginny watched through the window of the shop as a robe shop across the street switched their sign to close and drew the curtains.

"I think George has a crush on Oliver." Angelina said as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Well if I were single…" George said with a laugh as he moved turned and kissed Angelina quickly.

"You wouldn't stand a chance," she said with a laugh. She flicked her dark hair over her shoulders, and moved to stand next to him. "I'm the only one in the world with the patience to put up with you."

"Is that what we're calling it then? Patience?" George said with a smirk as he turned back to Ginny. "She's about as patient as a Niffler in Gringotts," he whispered.

"I heard that!" Angelina shouted as she hit George over the arm roughly. Ginny couldn't help but giggle as she saw George flinch away.

Ginny turned her attention to the store as George and Angelina playfully went at each other. The store was two stories high and filled with hundreds of different items. A winding gold staircase sat in the middle of the first floor leading up to the second floor. There were displays for interactive Daydream Charms, Love Potions, Skiving Snack Boxes, Exploding Snitches, Hexed Bludgers, Trick Wands, and so much more. During the day the store was usually full of life, and laughter. Ginny felt a pang of sadness as she looked around. She wished Fred was here with them now. Ginny's eyes slowly drifted towards the display window, and she looked out onto the street.

Ginny frowned as she watched Neville Longbottom dressed his crimson auror robes march past the store. His team was following behind him quickly. "Look at that," she said standing up and pointing towards the window.

"Bloody hell," George said as he leaned over the counter more. "Wonder what's happening." He reached up and tucked his bright red hair over his remaining ear.

"Isn't that Neville?" Angelina asked as she moved from behind the counter and got closer to the window. "Isn't his team the one working the murders?"

"Bloody hell you don't think...here in Diagon Alley?" George asked as he walked over to stand by Angelina.

"You don't think whoever's doing this would be crazy enough to do it in Diagon Alley do you?" Ginny asked, frowning as she looked at her brother and his fiancee.

"Well whoever's doing it isn't sane to begin with are they?" Angelina asked no one in particular as she took a step closer.

"Maybe we should go take a look for ourselves." George said softly as he reached back behind the counter to grab his wand.

"Oh no you don't" Angelina said softly as she put her hand on George's arm. "Our fights over. Let just let the Aurors-" She was interrupted by an outburst from George.

"Bloody Hell!" He swore as he took a few more steps forward his eyes wide in shock. "Its Harry!" George pointed out the window his eyebrows raised, and his mouth slightly a jar.

Ginny's head snapped back towards the window, and she stood up to get a better look. Moving to stand closer to George she narrowed her eyes as she tried her best to peer out the window. The sun had almost set and the light was filtering in through the glass blinding her. Pressing her hand up to her forehead she shaded her eyes from the light. Ginny felt her heart flutter as she saw him. Dressed in a pair of black jeans, and a matching black sports coat was Harry Potter. He was walking past the shop briskly easily weaving in and out of the crowd that had started to form.

"I'll be back," Ginny said as she quickly went back over to the sales counter and snatched her purse up. "Stay here I'll see if I can talk to him." Ginny said quickly trying to keep her voice steady. Her throat was tight, and her mouth had dried up. Ginny rushed past her brother and Angelina, and made a beeline for the door almost breaking out into a run. Ginny didn't know what she'd say to Harry when she got to him. She didn't really care all she knew was that she needed to go see him.

* * *

Harry made his way through the crowd as fast as he could. People were quickly starting to huddle up as close to the alley as they could. 'Cattle,' Harry thought to himself with a small snarl. Harry squeezed in between a large overweight wizard in plume colored robes and an elderly witch yellow robes. Harry's stomach felt as if it had sunk into the ground below, as he tried to get closer to the alley. He had only brought two doses of his potion with him, and he'd used them both already. Harry kept his eyes locked on the perimeter the Patrol Officers had set up. Harry could see crimson auror robes off in the distance. They were standing in a semi-circle around the scene.

"Harry Potter?"

Harry's head snapped up at his name. It had been spoken by a much older man with a rather large bald spot on his head.

"Harry Potter has come to help!" The older man shouted as he pointed at Harry. Harry let out an angry breath and continued to move forward.

"There he is!"

"I see him!"

"Is that really Harry Potter!"

"After all these years! This must be bad!"

Harry grit his teeth as the word of his arrival began to spread like a wildfire during a drought. Soon the whole crowd had started whispering loudly. Most of them started to move out of his way. However a few witches and wizards reached out to touch him. Harry tried to maneuver around the outstretched hands as best he could. The looks of desperation on their faces sickened him. 'Can these people do nothing for themselves?' Harry thought as he ripped his arm out of the grip of a middle aged witch.

"He'll stop these killings just like he stopped You-Know-Who!"

"What if he's the one doing the killing?"

"How dare you say something like that!"

"Please Mr. Potter stop this."

"Save us!"

A woman jumped in front of Harry blocking him off from the entrance to they alley. Her dark grey hair fell down her back in loose curls. She was dressed in a pair of shabby brown robes a bit too big for her. Deep wrinkles where set in her face making her look weather beaten. She grabbed on to his jacket and looked up at him. Tears poured from her light blue eyes as she stared at him. Harry jerked his head back as he looked down at her in surprise. Harry's heart was beating out of his chest his hands tingling. He resisted the urge to blast the woman away from him. With shaking hands Harry reached up and grabbed her wrists in a tight grip.

"Please Mr. Potter save us. You saved us all last time, you can do it again can't you? Please Mr. Potter." She crowed out in a deep hoarse voice. Harry pulled her hands off his jacket, and turned forcing her back into the crowd. Harry let go of her wrists and stepped to the side glaring at her as he did so. Harry turned and stumbled through the crowd up to the officers.

"Let me through," he demanded through gritted teeth. The world was spinning around him. Harry was trying to resist the urge to pant as he slowly tried to catch his breath. He couldn't show weakness to Neville or his team. Not after the entrance he just made. The palms of his hands were slick with sweat.

"O-of course Mr. Potter." A young man in deep blue robes said hastily. He quickly broke the line and stepped back. Harry slide through the gap quickly and into the alley. Harry took a few steps forward his eyes scanning the area. Two more officers were down near the crime scene, but Harry couldn't see it. Neville and his team were scattered about doing their work obscuring Harry's vision. Harry leaned against one of the brick walls, and took a deep breath. Reaching into his pocket Harry pulled out his cigarettes, and slid one in between his lips. The end of the cigarette ignited as he took a drag. Harry exhaled the smoke and ran hand over his forehead wiping off the sweat.

"God damn it," he swore as he stood up straight and took another drag on his cigarette. 'Might as well get this over with.' Harry thought to himself as he started to walk over slowly. As Harry got closer to the group of aurors the crime scene started to become visible. Harry could see the body parts scattered about the dirty alley. Pale white flesh sat on the dirty ground covered in garbage. Harry's eyes took in the scene as he turned his head to take in everything. There where at least four victims there.

"Oh my god," Harry whispered softly as he took a few more steps closer. The cigarette sat in between his fingers burning away. Harry quickly identified at least four different sets of appendages. Two of which obviously belonged to children. So far the killings had been adults, young adults, but adults nonetheless. Harry could see four heads at the end of the alley against the brick wall that closed it off. It was two woman maybe in their 30s, and two children no older than ten. There was one boy, and a girl.

Harry crouched down near a set a torsos obviously belonging to the children. Once again there was no blood anywhere not even in the body parts. Harry vanished his cigarette and placed his hands out over the torsos. Closing his eyes Harry reached for his magic within him. Harry took a deep breath and brought it forward into his hands. Harry gently ran his hands over the torsos trying to feel for raw magic reached out like invisible tendrils extending from his hand. It slowly descended upon the torsos spreading out eveloping them tightly. His magic sunk in below the skin, and into the body. After a few moments Harry turned his hands slightly inward as he pulled his magic back to him. Harry's magic returned to him, and instantly he felt his stomach lurch hard. Harry resisted the urge to vomit as goose pimples rose up on every inch of skin, and the hair on his arms stood on their ends. Harry shuddered as a deep soul crushing chill ran through his body freezing him.

"This is dark...dark magic." Harry said as he stood up and took a step back. His eyes narrowed as he looked around. There crime scene was free from any evidence just like all the others. The body parts had been completely drained of magic, and there was no magical signature left over. The only thing Harry could tell was the bodies at one point had been touched by dark magic. Something no Scanning or Examinations Charms would ever be able to detect.

"How can you tell?" Neville asked as he finally announced himself to Harry. "We can't find a single trace of magic in or around the bodies at all."

"That's because the spells you're using are looking for traces of actual magic." Harry said as he looked over to Neville impassively. "Magic leaves traces usually," Harry said nodding lifting his hands up. "They also leave something else," Harry rubbed his eyebrows roughly. "Magic can leave feelings. Before all these Scanning and Examination Charms where created wizards and witches had to feel for impressions left by magic. Its an old technique, one Dumbledore used to use." Harry said as recalled the night he and Dumbledore had gone to that island looking for the pendant. How he had searched the room for the impressions left by dark magic. "Even if the magic was erased or removed the impression is still there."

Harry clenched his teeth as he looked over the scene. Harry didn't need his potion to numb this feeling. Harry felt like hot molten iron had been pumped into his veins. 'Children,' he thought as he snarled through clenched teeth. Harry knew better than anyone that monsters lurked out there in the world. Waiting in the shadows for their moment, and hunting their prey. It didn't change the rage Harry felt as he looked at what had happened here in this alley. Children torn apart, the magic sucked from their bodies. Then discarded like rubbish, just tossed about as if they had never mattered.

Harry drew a cigarette from his pack, and stuck in between his lips. Harry lit the end with a snap of his fingers. Harry took a deep drag from his cigarette, and leaned down. Harry blew the smoke from his mouth. The smoke rolled through the air condensing into a thick grey cloud. Harry drew his wand from his pocket and waved it in a large arc. The smoke seemed to shiver for a moment before it started to grow. The smoke became bloated as it ballooned outwards into the shape of large sphere.

Harry flicked his wrist at the large ball of smoke, and like a soap bubble it popped. The smoke quickly sunk to the ground and rolled over the alley. Covering the ground in a thick layer of dark grey smoke. Neville watched with narrowed eyes as he looked at Harry for a moment, and back to the smoke. Jenny and Katherine stopped what they where doing and stared down at the ground. Harry lifted his wand above his head and started to spin it around, like he was handling a lasso.

Parts of the smoke collapsed in on itself and started to become more defined. The smoke seemed to become solid as figures started to rise from the ground. Four dark figures rose from the ground growing from the smoke. They were featureless, and looked more like dark grey mannequins than didn't take Neville long to realize they were the victims.

Harry walked through the smoke slowly. It kicked up from the ground swirling around his feet with each step he took. Harry made his way to the first pair of figures. One of the children-the boy it seemed, and one of the adult women. The woman was standing in front of the child. Her arms outstretched as the child buried his head into her back. Harry got in close the the woman peering into the vague smokey face, as if he was trying to see something in the dark grey depths. Taking a drag from his cigarette Harry blew out the smoke, and it rose above the figure. Turning his head he looked at the second pair. The the other child-the girl was on the ground her hands outstretched like it was reaching for something. In front of it was the other woman. She was on her knees with her arms, and hands outstretched towards the other little girl. As if she was trying to grab onto her.

"What spell is this?" Dean asked as he walked around the second set of figures near Harry. Dean was frowning as he looked at the display in front of him.

"The Voided Mirror Charm," A distorted voice said from a few feet away. Hermione had finally arrived dressed in her Unspeakable robes. Her black mask was on staring out over them blankly. However behind the mask Hermione was looking at Harry's back in concern. "It's used to recreate an event of great pain. It can only be used to recreate images of something that brought suffering." Hermione tried to keep her voice steady as she moved forward. "Its classified as a Level Three Dark Charm. To cast it you have to be able to understand the feelings that were felt."

"Why is it a Dark Charm?" Seamus asked as he watched Harry lean down by the girl and look over the figure with narrowed eyes.

"You have to understand all the feelings that were felt at there while it happened. More specifically the feelings of the wizard or witch who caused the pain. Dark wizards would use the charm recreate the scenes of their kills to torture or intimidate others." Hermione crossed her arms as she looked past Harry towards a fifth figure. "The more you understand the feelings the more defined the picture is." The remaining figure was more defined than the others. It was clearly a man with an average build. He was a few inches taller than Harry, and though there wasn't any color seemed to have wavy hair. The figure lacked any fine details with no nose or mouth.

Harry finally turned towards the figure, and stood up. Harry walked towards it impassively his eyes gliding over it. The figure seemed to be dressed unlike the others, but Harry couldn't tell exactly what the man had worn. He was a bit taller than Harry with what looked like thick wavy hair. There was no nose or mouth on its face, and no other real defining features. It's right hand was outstretched, and seemed to be holding a wand. Harry circled the figure his eyes looking for anything that stood out. Harry stopped to stand in front of it turning his face up, looking into the hollow spots where his eyes would be.

"Harry," Hermione's voice came out distorted, and was right behind him. Harry turned to see her standing there. Neville and his team were a bit farther back exchanging looks of concern, and hesitation.

"You worried?" Harry asked turning back to the figure. Hermione knew the spell of course, and what it took to cast it. Even through the Distortion Enchantment on her mask he could hear the concern laced in every syllable.

"Its concerning that you can cast this charm," Hermione admitted a bit reluctantly. She reached up to put a hand on Harry's shoulder, and then brought her hand back down.

"You think I don't know what it feels like, to want to kill someone?" Harry asked not looking back at her. He took a drag from cigarette, and blowing out the smoke. Harry lifted his wand, and then brought it back down. As his wand fell down to his side with his hand the figure collapsed into dark grey smoke. Like bubbles being popped the figures collapsed the smoke fell apart drifting down to the floor. Soon it started to raise and drift away in the wind. Harry turned around and looked at Hermione, and sighed. "See you at the Leaky Cauldron."

"Harry-," Hermione stopped as Harry walked away without acknowledging her. He walked past Neville, and his team without speaking to them.

* * *

Draco was standing on the roof, and watched as Harry walked out of the alley. He had casted a Disillusionment Charm on himself when he arrived at Diagon Alley. One of Draco's contacts in Knockturn Alley had sent word another set of bodies had been found. Draco turned from the roof and walked over to the edge on the other side. Turning on heel Draco disapparated from the roof. With a soft crack he reappeared on the ground just below the roof. Draco sneered to himself, in a few moments Harry had uncovered more than that whole team had in weeks. Draco went to take a step forward when he found himself suddenly attacked.

Draco let out a small grunt as he felt an invisible hand wrap itself around his neck and squeezed hard. Draco's back was forced into the brick wall a few inches behind him. Draco's hands snapped up, and wrapped themselves around his attackers invisible wrist. Draco tried to pull the wrist away to no avail. 'Damn it!' He swore to himself as he gave up and flicked his wrist. His wand shot out from from his holster and he caught it. Lifting the wand he prepared to cast a blasting cure.

"Don't even think about it." A voice whispered. Harry Potter quickly became visible before Draco's grey eyes. The tip of Harry's wand was pointed directly in between Draco's eyes. Harry was panting slightly from the physical effort it was taking to hold Draco there by his throat. The tip of Harry's wand flashed a bright white. Slowly Draco started to become visible starting from his head down. "What were you doing up there Malfoy?" Harry loosened the grip on Draco's throat, and he took in a deep breath with a loud gasp.

"The same thing as you Potter," Draco wheezed out trying to catch his breath. "Merlin's beard let go Potter!" Draco huffed as he lifted his left arm up and forcefully knocked Harry's hand away from his throat. "You know I didn't kill those bloody people." Draco snapped as he stood up straight. Keeping his wand in hand he straightened out his shirt and sneered at Harry.

"Doesn't mean you aren't working for him." Harry snarled back out his wand still trained on Draco's head. "A few words Malfoy that's all it would take me." Harry threatened as he squeezed his wand tighter. "That's all you have to convince me not to."

"There have been rumors," Draco said calmly as he ran his hands through his long hair. "A new Dark Lord has risen, and he's gathering followers. Theodore Nott is one of them."

"That all?" Harry snarled as he pulled back his wand ready to cast.

"I meet with Nott today, and convinced him to let me join them." Draco said tightening his own grip on his wand. He doubted he could best Harry in a duel, but he could buy himself enough time to escape. Hopefully.

"You're not really helping your case here."

"I'm going to kill him." Draco spat back out quickly. "That's my plan. I came here when I heard about the bodies hoping I could find something out about him."

"Your'e lucky I believe you," Harry said as he dropped his wand down to his side. Harry could feel his heart beating his chest. His throat was starting to tighten. He'd been prepared to kill Malfoy there. "You-" Harry was cut off as his hands started to shake. 'God damn it, not here.' Harry felt like he couldn't breath his chest was tight. His wand fell from his loose grip and landed on the ground with a clatter.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you Potter?" Malfoy asked, as he looked at Harry his upper lip curled.

"Potion...I need my potion." Harry gasped as he bent over and put his hands on his knees. The world was spinning as Harry tried to catch his breath. His arms felt like they were filled with sand. Harry reached up and pulled down on the collar of his shirt. His hands felt like they were moving in slow motion.

"Merlin you really have gone mad." Draco said as he reached forward to grabbed Harry by the shoulder. Forcing Harry up into a standing position he grabbed his other shoulder, and shook him roughly. "Snap out of it Potter. You're having some kind of fit."

Harry looked up at Draco, and jumped back panting. Draco was gone and standing there was a weird creature. It looked like a mishmash of the body parts back from Diagon Alley. It looked at him its eyes void of life.

Draco took another step forward raising his wand. He was prepared to stun Harry, and leave him there.

" _Expelliarmus!"_

Draco's wand flew from his hand and he turned to his right where the spell had come from. Ginny Weasley was jogging forward her wand pointing at Draco.

"What do you think you're doing Malfoy?" Ginny asked as she looked between Harry, and Draco. Harry was standing there bent over tugging at his collar panting.

"Relax Weasley, I was just going to stun him. He's having some kind of fit." Draco said with a snarl as he looked back at Harry disdainfully.

Ginny looked back at Harry, and frowned. This wasn't the first time she'd seen him like this. It had happened before when they used to date. The only time she had seen Harry like this was right before they broke up. She needed to calm him down before it got worse.

"Harry you need to breath." Ginny said softly as she walked towards his her wand lowered. "Come on breathe." Ginny walked over to him, and put her hands on his arms gently. Ginny took a large slow breath through her nose. Holding it for a few seconds she started to exhale slowly through her mouth. "Breathe," she whispered again, and took another breath.

Harry looked up again and saw Ginny there in front of him. Draco was back to Normal and staring at the both of them. Harry started to mimic Ginny's breathing keeping pace with her. Soon his arms and hands stopped tingling, and started to feel like normal. Harry caught his breath and looked up at Ginny. With a snarl Harry stood up and jerked his arms away from her.

"I didn't need your help I just need my potion." Harry snapped as he glared down at the now red faced girl.

"Next time I'll let him stun you then!" Ginny snapped back at him through clenched teeth. "You ungrateful prat. I haven't seen you in almost three years and this is how you greet me! After I just stopped you from destroying half the Alley."

"Kreacher." Harry said ignoring the shouting Weasley. Harry twitched his right middle finger, and his wand jumped up from the ground into his hand. There a was small pop, and Kreacher appeared in front of them.

"What can Kreacher do for the Master?" Kreacher asked as he bowed low his crooked nose almost touching the stone ground.

"Bring me my potion." Harry demanded harshly as he started down at the elf. Kreacher disappeared with pop, and Harry looked back at Ginny. "What are you even doing here?"

"None of your business!" Ginny snapped back at Harry her arms crossed. 'The balls! How can he think he has the right to talk to me like that?' Ginny asked herself, as she resisted the urge to curse him. "I was minding my own business getting some stuff done when I saw you two down here. You where having one of your fits, and he was about to stun you." As Ginny finished she stuck her nose up upset at Harry's attitude.

"I didn't need your help," Harry lied as he looked away from Ginny and narrowed his eyes at Draco. Harry was about to open his mouth and say something to the blond when a pop interrupted him.

"Your potion Master," kreacher said with his head low. In his outstretched hand sat three glass vials capped off with wax. They were filled with his dark purple potion. Harry snatched the vials from Kreacher's hand, who bowed once more before leaving. Sticking two into his coat pocket he popped the cap off on the third one, and quickly downed the potion. Harry felt the calming effects immediately. He felt a soothing calm flood his mind, and his body as he closed his eyes.

"The Nevaro Potion," Draco said as he looked at Harry with his lip curled in disgust. "Your an addict aren't you Potter?" A Nevaro Potion shouldn't be taken more than once every few days, but the elf had brought Harry three of them. 'No wonder Potter had a fit,' Draco thought to himself. 'Is this what has become of The Great Boy-Who-Lived?'

"What of it?" Harry snapped back at Draco. "You said you were joining this new Dark Lord right?" Harry asked as he straightened out his jacket and fixed a cool expression on his face. Ginny looked at Draco in disgust.

"Yeah to kill him," Draco snapped back at Harry. "Don't leave the most important part out Potter."

"Thats to big of a risk. If this Dark Lord is as powerful as he seems to be, then you won't stand a chance."

"Whoever this is they're a wanna be thats all." Draco said as he ran his fingers over his goatee.

"Well you could try to kill them." Harry replied, shrugging his shoulders as he stared at Malfoy. "If you succeed you'll be a hero, and if you fail you'll die. Just another victim everyone will forget one day. The Malfoy name will end with its disgrace entact."

"That won't happen," Draco snapped taking a step towards Harry. " I will kill whoever is doing all this, and everyone will know that it was a Malfoy who saved them."

"Or you'll die, and everyone will remember for a few weeks that it was a Malfoy who tried. There is a win-win here for you Malfoy. Join them, and me. If you join them, and spy for me then we can take them down together. I'll even give you all the credit." Harry said as he took a step away from the blond. "Joining up with me increases your chance of survival. If you don't, and you fail Harry Potter will be the one that saved them. Just Harry Potter." Harry turned and started walking away. "Your choice Malfoy!" Harry said loudly as he walked away.

 **A/N: Sorry for the late update. It's been way longer than I wanted it to be. I had a small dose of real life, and got distracted. Hopefully I'll get the next Chapter up sometime this weekend. So I did read some of the responses to the last A/N. Just to clarify this is a Harry/Hermione fic. I know I said I wasn't sure what I was going to do in the last A/N but the whole outline is literally Harry/Hermione, and I'd have to change too much to change that now. I really do enjoy Harry/Hermione, and it's my favorite ship personally. This chapter was the hardest for me to write. I was trying to find the best way to bring the Draco, Ginny, and Harry together. Now I can start working on the Draco/Ginny aspect of the story. Harry/Hermione is a few chapters away I think. As always please let me know how you feel. Any reviews are appreciated.**


	8. Chapter 8

Harry and Hermione appeared in the middle Hermione's living room with a small _pop_. Harry looked around for a few moments taking in the room. Harry was standing in between an entertainment stand and a small coffee table made of wood. On the entertainment stand sat a slightly older, but above average sized television. A few remotes sat on the coffee table, as well as a few picture frames Harry assumed they were filled with pictures of her family. Behind the table was a short grey couch. To the left of the couch was a matching armchair. Behind him was a large nook with tall windows covered by light blue drapes. It was so average, and dull. It was almost exactly like he imagined. It kind of reminded him of the Dursley's home

"Neville should be here soon." Hermione said as she took her mask off. "I'm going to go change real quick. Want to see where you're staying?" Hermione asked as she started to walk around the couch towards a large opening that led to the main hallway.

"Where's your kitchen? I'm thirsty" Harry asked shortly as he looked towards Hermione no longer interested in the living room.

"Uh straight down this hall, or you can go through the dining room." Hermione said as she pointed down the hall from the opening, and then to the door right in front of Harry. Hermione made her way over to the base of the stairs, which peaked out just past the opening in the living room. "There's water, milk, tea, coffee, and maybe some pop…"

"Thanks," he replied shortly as Hermione trailed off. Harry walked forward and pushed open the dark brown door. Harry stepped into a plain dining room which had a door on the other side of a long rectangular table in the center of the room. Matching chairs lined the table. It was obvious to Harry the room hadn't been used in quite a while. An empty candle centerpiece sat in the middle of the polished light brown table. There were a few shelves on the wall which held pictures of an obviously happier time.

Harry moved around the table to the door opposite of him. Harry's fingers trailed over the polished surface of the table as he walked by. Pulling open the door Harry slid into the empty kitchen, and looked around. In front of him was a smaller more worn table. It was round, and a bit fragile looking. The kitchen it seemed was just as dull as the rest of the house so far. For a moment he could imagine a young Hermione and her family sitting in here eating breakfast or some other meal. A standard run of the mill boring family. Two dentists and a book worm. Harry looked at the table for a moment wondering how many books Hermione had read as child at that very table. Harry chuckled to himself softly. Was he jealous? Sucking his teeth Harry turned and looked at the rest of the dark kitchen.

Harry waved his hand, and the light switch flipped up illuminating the kitchen. Harry made his way over to the honey colored cupboards, and started opening them. The cupboards themselves where almost as bare as Harry's. Most of them were completely empty. One of them had a few sets of dishes, and a few Hermione ate alone here most of the time. Harry moved through the kitchen opening each cupboard. As he continued going through the kitchen finding mostly empty cupboards his scowl started to deepen as he became more and more frustrated. How could all of these cupboards be empty? The cupboards turned to the right as they neared a far wall, then turned again away from the wall forming kind of a U shape. Finally Harry made it around to the other side near where he started, and opened the last one above the fridge. Inside was a few bottles of dried spices, and a bottle of cooking sherry.

"Of course that's all she has," Harry muttered as he reached up, and grabbed the bottle. Harry held it in his hands for a few moments before he looked at the fridge. Harry quickly decided to check the fridge to make sure there wasn't anything better in there. Pulling open the door he looked wasn't anything in there, just a half empty container of milk, some eggs, and a can of coke. Shutting the fridge he waved his hand, and all the cupboards he'd left open snapped shut. Looking at the bottle, Harry narrowed his eyes and started to gently roll the bottle around in his hand. Harry watched as the dull brown liquid started to change. The color shifted from the dull brown into a deep amber color.

Opening the bottle Harry took a deep swig. It wasn't nearly as good as the whiskey he had at home, but it would do for now. He'd have Winky or Kreacher bring some over later. Harry made his way towards the back door near the kitchen table. 'What am I even doing here?' Harry asked himself as he opened the door. Harry stuck the door open with a wave of his hand and took a few steps into the back yard. Harry was standing on a cobblestone pathway that led to a larger stone patio. Harry assumed thats where furniture would go if Hermione had any. Fishing through his pockets Harry pulled out his pack of cigarettes. Taking another swig of his own bootleg whiskey he slipped the cigarette between his lips. Harry lit it with a snap of his fingers.

Looking up into the sky Harry exhaled, and watched the smoke curl and turn as it rose up and disappeared. 'Why am I staying here?' Harry asked himself again as he took another drink. 'Maybe it's because Hermione wants you to get better?' Harry took another drag from his cigarette. 'You don't need her help.'

"Yes you do." Harry said out loud as he took another drag of cigarette.

"Yes you do what?" Harry turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway looking at him with a confused frown. She looked to his hand, and rolled her eyes. "Cooking sherry? Really? I have Gin you know." Hermione scuffed as she took a few steps out onto the walkway. She was wearing a black tank top and a pair of grey sweat pants. "Not that you need to drink anymore than you already do."

"I turned it into whiskey," Harry said as he held out the bottle towards her. Hermione looked at it with a frown. Hermione's eyebrows rose and she rolled her eyes. She pulled the bottle from his hands and took a drink. Hermione grimaced as she swallowed. "Yeah its not perfect." Harry said with a smirk.

"I can tell," Hermione said as she reached out and plucked the cigarette from his fingers. Hermione took a drag and blew the smoke out towards the ground.

"Why is it always our responsibility?" Harry asked as he took the bottle back. He held it in front of him for a moment. "We've been doing this since we were kids. I mean for fucks sake we're still fucking kids." Harry took a drink from the bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of hands. "Most muggles haven't even gotten out of university at our ages. They're all out there trying to graduate, and get jobs. Here we are trying to hunt down and kill a magical serial killer. Fucking crazy."

Hermione held out the cigarette to Harry. "I know," she whispered softly as she took the bottle from him. "It's just how things turned out for us. I know that doesn't help, and it doesn't make it fair." Hermione took a drink from the bottle, and resisted the urge to cough as the whiskey burned her throat. "There is a difference between us and them though Harry." Hermione resisted the urge to reach out to him. She knew Harry truly had no idea what he was to people.

"Magic," Harry muttered softly as he shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder if the world would be better off without it." Harry took one last drag from the cigarette finishing it off. He flicked it away and watched as it disappeared in mid air.

"No," Hermione said softly as she walked over to him, and set the bottle down on the ground. "We have you. You inspire everyone around you. You have this indomable desire to do good. You want to leave people better than when you found them. You save 's who you've always been. You were eleven years old when you dragged Ron down to that bathroom to save me. You didn't even think about what it could cost you. It's just who you are, and it's ingrained in your soul. We've all had the pleasure of knowing you. How could we not be inspired to be as good as you."

"That's not who I am anymore." Harry said as he turned around, and looked at Hermione. "All I want to do now is kill whoever is doing this, and then I'm gone." Hermione frowned as she looked up at him. "I'm going to kill him and move on. After that I'm putting all of this shit behind me taking Teddy, and leaving."

"You think thats how its going to work?" Hermione asked as she laid her hand on his arm gently. "That killing whoever's doing this will make you better?" Hermione looked up at him with wide brown eyes. Harry looked down and meet her eyes, and for the briefest moment hate and rage swelled in his chest. It was like a burning shock radiating through his whole body. Concern practically radiated off of Hermione in thick waves. Harry clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to snap at her.

'How can she look at me like that? Why? After everything I've said to her? The way I treated her? So gullible! So weak! _'_ Harry turned away from her and drew a cigarette to his lips. "Don't look at me like that." He spat with venom dripping from every syllable. Harry jerked his arm away from her and lit his cigarette with a snap of his fingers. "Do I seem weak to you? I don't need your sympathy or whatever it is your feeling."

"You've never seemed weak to me." Hermione said softly not moving back from Harry. She stood there and watched him smoke for a few moments trying to gather the right words together. Harry was extremely volatile. If she said the wrong thing now he'd leave again. Even if he knew that he shouldn't. Ever since Harry started having his attacks his biggest fear had been people thinking he was weak. He'd taken potions and drank to try and numb himself from what he was feeling and ignore it. When that hadn't worked he ran away to Grimmauld Place. Convinced Voldemort would return, and that he had to train. Hermione didn't even know if he still believed in that delusion or not.

"I've never thought you were weak Harry." Hermione said softly as she took a small step closer. "The exact opposite actually. After everything you've been through. Every loss you've suffered. It would of destroyed anyone else."

"Yay me," Harry said as he took another sharp drag of his cigarette.

"Harr-"

"I don't want to get into this Hermione." Harry said shortly. "You think I'm strong, brave, and yada yada." Harry reached down and picked up the bottle of whiskey and took a long pull off the bottle. Harry stared down at the bottle lip his eyes narrowed. Harry took another drag from his cigarette and exhaled slowly. They had fallen into an uncomfortable silence, but Harry hadn't noticed. The wheels were turning in his head as he stared down at the bottle. A dozen different thoughts were running through his mind. Harry reached up and absentmindedly traced his bottom lip with his thumb. Smoke was curling off the still burning cigarette slipping under his glasses and stinging his eyes. He paid it no mind as he stared down at the ground.

"Harry?" Hermione asked softly. She was looking at him with another concerned look. She turned her body to try and see his face. Hermione stared at his relativity vacant expression for a moment. Looking up she looked into his eyes, and instantly recognized the look he had.

"All the killings happened in magical areas right?" Harry asked as he turned to look at Hermione so suddenly she was caught off guard, and stumbled back.

'Y-Yeah I'm pretty sure they where. Actually no I know they were." Hermione said as she composed herself.

"Where are the case files?" Harry asked as he tossed his cigarette aside and started moving towards the kitchen door.

"I brought them down. They're on the table." Hermione said turning and following behind him quickly.

Harry ignored her and rushed over the table. Harry quickly started picking through the files and thumbing through them. Taking the summary page from each one he started laying them out in chronological order. Including the killings in France the Aurors believed were connected. Harry didn't pay Hermione any attention as she continued to ask him questions. Harry set the bottle of whiskey down on the chair and kept going through each file. Tossing aside the files he'd been through on the floor uncaringly. Once all seven summary sheets were laid out Harry snatched up his whiskey and took a step back.

"HARRY!" Hermione shouted at him as she snapped her fingers in front his face. "What did you figure out?"

"They're all magical locations." Harry said as he took a drink from the bottle. "All of them." Harry ran his hand through his raven colored hair. "Why?" Harry asked looking at Hermione and shrugging his shoulders. "I mean we know hes stealing magic, but he could just as easily kill muggleborns out in the muggle world. It would of taken the Aurors forever to get involved, and when they did they might not of linked every case. It would of been safer and smarter. Not only that look at where they took place." Harry motioned towards the sheets and ran a finger over them in chronological order. "Notice anything?"

Hermione looked over the sheets her eyes narrowed. Her dark brown eyes slid over the papers. Looking at the location for each killing. Then she did it again, and again. Hermione frowned she didn't see what Harry obviously saw. She looked over them again starting to feel frustrated. It was rare when someone else saw something she didn't.

"Come on you have to see it." Harry said as he stepped up next to her. "It's so obvious."

Hermione resisted the urge to snap at him. Taking a deep breath she started at the beginning again. Three small villages in France, Coin du chaudron also in France, a magical village in Wales, Kettlebell Corner, and finally Diagon Alley. What was difference between all of them? The villages had been small with maybe a dozen or so residents, Coin du chaudron was a small shopping district with about 5 shops, the village in Wales had maybe a 20 or 30 witches and wizards living there, Kettlebell had about two dozen shops, and Diagon Alley had almost a hundred shops if you counted the offshoot districts like Knockturn Alley.

"Each place he goes to has more and more people there. More exposure." Hermione finally whispered.

"Exactly." Harry said as he slapped his hand down on the table. "He has to go there. These magical areas must be part of whatever ritual he's doing. He has to do it in places with concentrated areas of high magical activity. Not only that he might not be able to use the same one twice. Otherwise he wouldn't risk the exposure from places like Diagon Alley or Kettlebell. At the very least he needs to up it. Go for larger areas of concentrated magic. It's a pattern."

Harry's head snapped as he heard Hermione's front door open and than slam shut loudly. Hermione also straightened up and looked towards the opening for the hallway. Harry flicked his wrist and his wand shot out from his wrist holster and into his hand. A few seconds latter Neville burst into the kitchen looking frantic.

"I figured it out. Diagon Alley it was to big to many people. He's-"

"Harry just figured that out too." Hermione said as she turned back and pointed to the summary sheets all laid out.

"We need to get a list together of all the other places he could use. We also have to figure out what ritual it is. If we can figure out the ritual with what we know we could probably predict when and where is next." Harry said as he took a few steps back out into the back yard. He quickly lit a cigarette and exhaled. "Hogsmeade is probably next."

"It could be Godric's Hollow too. Its shared with muggles, but there's a huge concentration of magic there." Hermione said thoughtfully as she started pacing around the kitchen. "Dragon's Square in Whales and White Hall."

"I'm betting on Hogsmeade." Neville said as he looked down at the papers. "He could of done Dragon's Square before moving onto Kettlebell, and Godric's Hollow isn't that far from there. If he's escalating Hogsmeade and White Hall are the only two places left with more magic than Diagon Alley."

"Our next priority has to be this ritual." Harry said as he took a drag on his cigarette. "If we can figure out why he has to escalate or what conditions need to be met for the ritual we can rule one out. We also have no idea when he might strike next. I haven't noticed a pattern at all.. We need to see if there are any corresponding celestial events maybe."

"If there has been they're nothing major." Hermione said as she sat down at the kitchen chair. Her eyes narrowed at the papers laid out in front of her. Her forehead crinkled in thought as she tried to put the pieces it doesn't have a time component. What if it can be done whenever?"

"Then we'd have to guess based on the current timeline." Neville said as he rubbed his chin in thought. "So far he hasn't gone longer than three weeks, and this time it wasn't even a week. Based on that we have to assume that the next killings will take place anywhere from 5 days from now to three weeks from now."

"He's draining magic from the victims." Harry said as he exhaled a cloud of grey smoke. "Let's assume it's some kind of power ritual. He's taking their power and adding it to his own. If that's the case he does it when hes out. Kettlebell was small, and only had two victims. Diagon Alley is a bastion of magic. This time there were four victims. It'll be a bit longer before he needs to top off."

"So we'll focus on looking for rituals that steal magic from others and the surrounding area, and adds to the users magic temporarily."

"Lets hope it temporary." Neville said interrupting Hermione. "If it's permanent who knows how powerful he is."

"It can't be." Harry replied stepping back into the kitchen. Hermione stopped what she was about to say when Harry spoke up. "Every ritual has consequences. There is give and take. If there was a ritual like this that permanently enhanced someones magic Voldemort would of used it. If it does exist than the consequences were too extreme even for him."

"If you're wrong?" Hermione asked looking up at him with wide eyes. "What if this is someone who knows the consequences and doesn't care? Or what if he knows magic Voldemort didn't?"

"I'd find that hard to believe." Harry said as he looked down at the floor. "Voldemort knew more magic, and more about magic than anyone who's ever lived. It's possible we're dealing with someone who knows the consequences, but doesn't care."

"So we're either dealing with a garden variety Dark Wizard or we're dealing with and unhinged lunatic who is crazier than Voldemort?" Neville asked as she lifted his eyebrows, and crossed his arms. "Sounds fantastic."

* * *

"Merlin, I heard he'd been keeping to himself. I didn't realize he'd become some kind of shut in." Draco said before he took a drink from his glass. He was sitting at a small round table in the far corner of the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny Weasley was sitting across from him. She was nursing a glass of Gin.

"What's really going on Draco?" Ginny asked using his first name for the first time in her life. "This serial killer the Aurors are after...is he really some kind of Dark Lord?"

"I don't know for sure." Draco replied softly as he looked down at his glass. He was drinking a glass of Siberian Ice Vodka. The Vodka itself was made in a way that kept its temperature below freezing. His glass was cloudy, and a few veins of frost stuck to the inside of the glass. "I know that some people are gathering, and meeting again. I was able to get myself invited to the next meeting."

"You're going to try and spy on them?"

'Not really." Draco said softly as he took another sip. "I don't plan to be a part of it long enough to spy."

"What about joining up with Harry?" Ginny asked softly as she took a sip from her drink as well.

"He can barely take care of himself." Draco sneered into his glass. "He's nothing more than a common potions addict."

"Doesn't mean he can't fight anymore."

"Did you see the same thing I did? Potter could barley threaten me with out having a fit. How is he actually going to fight? Is he gonna breath heavily at them?" Draco finished his drink in one long swallow. "Whether you like it or not. Right now I'm everyone's best bet at handling this." Draco stood and reached into his robe pockets. Grabbing a few coins he carelessly tossed five Galleons on the table. "Potter wants nothing to do with you Weasley. He made that pretty clear back there. If you decide you want in on this fight you know where Malfoy Manor is." Draco turned and walked off with the same swagger he had back in Hogwarts.

"What makes you think I'd want to fight?" Ginny asked no one softly as she looked down at her drink. Fighting had Dark Wizards had already destroyed her family. Ginny had her own life to live now. She as a professional Quidditch Player, and had her own friends now. She had everything she'd ever wanted in life. So why did she want to get up and follow Draco to Malfoy Manor? Why did she want to risk it all just to go through all of that again? She should be running away. Convincing the rest of her family to run and hide. Wait for Draco or Harry to take care of everything. So why was she standing up? Why was she following Draco out the door? Why did the idea of fighting make her feel more alive than anything else had in years? Why was she grinning?

* * *

Harry was staring down at the two vials of the Nervaio Potion he had left over. He was standing outside Hermione's leaning against a wall near the back door. The two vials sat heavily in the palm of his hand. Resting gently between the index and middle finger of his other hand was a lit cigarette. Smoke was wafting up and curling in the air gently. Harry didn't know what to do with them. His confrontation in the alley with Draco had pushed him over the edge and caused another panic attack. The Nervaio potion was the only thing that helped stop them usually. The potion stopped him from having them at all if he took enough of them, but they also stopped him from feeling everything else. Everytime he took one his rational mind was clouded by its effects. Harry knew he couldn't fight or operate without them, but he couldn't think or act rationally on them either.

"Harry?"

Harry's head popped up and looked over towards the sound. The call had come from Hermione. She was slowly walking over towards him with her arms crossed. The dull lights from the kitchen glowed behind her casting shadows over her features, and obscuring her figure. She slowly shuffled forward towards him, and as she came closer he could start to make out what she was wearing. She was dressed in a pair of thin grey shorts, and a black tank top. Her face was soft, and her eyes wide as she looked him in the eye, and than down at his hands. He hated it when she looked at him like that.

"What are you doing out here?" Hermione asked as she came to stop a few inches away from him. Harry was still fully dressed, and hadn't gone to bed at all yet. Harry looked down at his hands for a few moments. Closing his fingers around the vials he held them up in front of her.

"Trying to figure out what to do about these." Hartry said softly as he let his hand fall down to his side. "I can't think clearly while I'm sucking these down, but I can't function without them." Harry turned away and looked out into the darkness of Hermione's back yard. The walkway led out into grass which spread out through the dark, and slowly disappeared into the shadows of the night. It seemed like a dark open maw of nothingness, and for a moment he yearned for it. Harry wanted to be sucked into it, and left there to float in the nothingness for the rest of his life.

"What happened?" Hermione asked softly as she looked down at his hands. Hermione could remember only a few times Harry had been this open and vulnerable in front of her. Each one of them had been before that fateful night at Hogwarts. Something had to of happened today for Harry to open up like this. Whatever it was it had been big enough to make him so conflicted that he couldn't just numb himself from it.

"I almost killed Draco Malfoy." Harry sucked his teeth, and looked over at Hermione and sighed. "I saw him watching us from the roof of some shop. I confronted him in an alleyway, and threatened to kill him if he didn't tell me what he was doing there." Harry lifted his cigarette up to his lips and took a deep drag. "I was ready to kill him. The spell was on my lips it would of been so easy. He told me that he was doing his own investigation into the killings. Claimed that this wizard was a new Dark Lord, and had a way into his circle of followers." Harry stepped away from the wall and walked past Hermione, and ran his hand through his hair. Turning back towards her he met her eyes. "I lost control and had another panic attack. I couldn't move, I couldn't breath, the world was spinning, and I was seeing things. Then Ginny showed up out of nowhere and calmed me down. I had Kreacher bring me these."

"What am I supposed to do Hermione?" Harry asked moving his hands out towards her. "I can't fight like this. I can't lead like this. I have spent everyday for the last four years terrified of these attacks. I would rather face Voldemort 100 times than have another one. It seems like everyday I need to take more and more of these just to live." Harry turned and threw the potion vials against Hermione's house. The vials shattered and the potions splashed over the stone staining it. "But I can't do anything without them either. Without them all I have is paranoia, despair, loneliness, and pain. So much pain. I'm terrified of it! And that fear is the reason Justin is dead the reason Ron is dead. Because when I'm on them I don't feel anything at all. I do whatever I want, and I don't care how it affects anyone else. If we do this. If we go after this bastard, and I'm on these I'll get one of us killed."

Hermione was staring at Harry through the darkness. Her face was tight and her mouth was narrowed. Her eyes stung with tears that threatened to fall at any moment. For most Hermione's life Harry had been a beacon of hope and courage to her. She still remembered that moment in the girls bathroom when Harry and Ron came charging in to save her. Harry had jumped on the trolls back with no training and no experience. That night as she had laid in her bed in the girls dormitory and she pledged to follow Harry anywhere. She had followed through with that pledge. Doing everything she could to help him. Finding out the creature in the Chamber was a Basilisk, notifying Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt, going back in time to save Sirius, and so much more. She had followed Harry into a war she could of just as easily run away from. She watched as he lost Sirius and Dumbledore. Then after a year of pure hell it was over. Voldemort was dead, and Harry had fulfilled his destiny so to speak. It had been time to move on from it all. To finish her schooling, and start the next part of their lives.

Right now in this moment Hermione was realizing something she should of always known. It had never been over for Harry. Everything that had ever happened to Harry had still been there waiting for him after it was all over. Harry had been putting it off, and shoving it to the side, and soldiering on that whole time. Killing Voldemort didn't end things for Harry. It hadn't tied a neat bow on all of it. It had left him with nothing else to deal with other than the pain and the trama.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said softly as she looked at Harry. He was standing there staring out into the darkness of her back yard. "I should of known. I should've realized what was happening to you after Voldemort."

"I should've said something." Harry replied his throat tight. "We thought it was over. We thought we could all move on and live our life. We all left each other when we should of stayed together. We all tried to deal with our shit by ourselves. The first time in our lives we tried to do things on our own. It was the one time we should of done it together." Harry took a deep breath and looked back at Hermione. "It cost Ron his life and me my mind."

"You haven't lost your mind." Hermione said softly as she blinked away the tears. "We're together now, and we can handle this together." Hermione took a few steps towards Harry, and reached down. She took the burnt out cigarette butt from between his fingers and tossed it aside. Hermione reached out and slide her fingers through his and held his hand gently. "We're going to figure this out."

"I told you I'm not planning on staying here in the wizarding world after this." Harry said softly as he looked down at Hermione. "I'm taking Teddy and leaving." Harry looked up into the night sky and he sighed. His emerald eyes traced over all the stars as he looked off in the distance. "Looking up here at the sky. It's always reminded me how small we are. Ever since I was a kid. I would look up at the sky and dream of starting a new life somewhere else. Back then all I was trying to get away from was my family." Harry said the last part with disdain as he thought back to the Dursleys. "I don't want to stay. I don't want to keep ignoring everything that happened, but I don't want to be reminded of it either."

"Harry…" Hermione said his name softly as she took a step back. She gently pulled her hand from his and looked up at him. "Stay or go. It doesn't matter. Everything you've been through is always going to be there. Waiting for you around every corner. Trying to find the moment to strike at you. You want to leave after all of this then go ahead, but its not going to fix anything. You want to get better then you need to do it here. With the people you have left; in the world you belong in. When you get better, and you will. Then you can chose to leave if you still want to."

"What do I do about now?" Harry asked as he looked away. He felt sick when he saw the concern in eyes. He didn't deserve it, at least not anymore.

"For now we get you off the potions. You're right about what they do to you, and what it will mean." Hermione took a breath and looked away from him. "I don't know how we'll deal with your panic attacks, but we'll find a way." Hermione took a step back into the shadows and smiled softly. He didn't notice it. For the first time in years Hermione felt like there was hope. Despite the possibility of a new Dark Lord, despite the killings, and everything else. For the first time in years it felt like she could have her friend back again. "Come on lets get some rest. We'll deal with it tomorrow."

Hermione turned and started walking towards the door. Harry turned to look out into the endless maw one last time. It looked so peaceful out there. Harry just wanted to run out there and disappear, and never come back. Leave Hermione and Neville with what he'd given them. It would be enough for them. They could find the killer make contact with Malfoy, and take care of it themselves. They didn't need him for this. Taking a deep breath Harry peeled his eyes away from the darkness and turned towards Hermione's house and took a step towards her. Hermione was right. They'd figure it all out tomorrow.

* * *

"Please…" The man whined softly. He was panting heavily laying on his side on top of a thin cot. "I don't want to do this anymore."

 _'You're weak!'_ The voice was loud and soft at the same time. It seemed to reverberate all through the room.

"No...No...No," The man whimpered softly as he clutched his head. "Why are we doing this? Why is this happening?"

' _You agreed to this don't you remember? I came to you, and offered you everything you ever wanted. All I asked in return was this one thing.'_

 _"_ I don't want this anymore. Send me back. Please send me back." The man whined softly as he contorted on the bed. "Find someone else. Use him!"

 _'I told you before. He was too damaged. Once we've finished our tasks you'll have everything you've ever wanted.'_

The man turned on his back and opened his eyes. Steely grey eyes stared up at the dilapidated ceiling above him. Beads of sweat ran covered his face. Contorting his handsome features he let out another cry. He just wanted it all to end. Hundreds of images started flashing through his mind. He couldn't piece them together. He didn't know if those images where his or _his._ He screwed his eyes shut once again and let out a scream as he tried to block them out again. Why wouldn't it end? What had he done? Why would he have ever agreed to this?

 _'I'm done fighting you on this. We have things to do.'_

The man let out a strangled gasp, and all of the muscles in his body tensed and strained themselves. His mouth gaped open as the veins on his neck bulged and quivered beneath his pale skin. With one last shudder his body relaxed and he fell back to the bed. The man sat up and sighed softly.

"Maybe I was a bit to foolish in choosing you boy." The man said out loud as he stretched his neck from side to side. As his neck cracked he groaned in relife and let out a breath. Standing he looked around the room disinterestedly. "You know I'm not as bad as you think I am. I'm man of my word boy. Stop fighting me, and let us finish what we started. Then we can both go our separate ways." The man smiled in the darkness. Soon everything would be in place. One more sacrifice, and he could complete the final step in the ritual."

 **A/N: I know it's been a while since I updated, but this story is not dead. I've just had some stuff come up recently. Hopefully I can start posting more frequently. Hope everyone enjoys and please remember to leave a review! I really love hearing what everyone thinks.**


	9. Chapter 9

"So your big plan is to sneak into a meeting and stab him in the back with this?" Ginny asked incredulously. She was standing across from Draco Malfoy in his workshop. Ginny had been quite impressed with the collection scattered the room. Draco was standing a few steps in front of her holding a slim silver dagger in between his fingers. Ginny's eyes ran down the length of the blade and over the intricately woven steel handle. Then finally rested on the jagged piece of pitch black lazurite embedded in the pommel. Ginny sighed and looked back at Draco with a raised eyebrow.

"Whats that look for Weasley?" Draco sneered as he sheathed the dagger gently. "It's a good plan."

"I mean its a plan. I wouldn't say it's a good one." Ginny scoffed as she crossed her arms. "You know you made it seem like you had this grand plan before. Harry might be right. You might just get yourself killed doing this." Draco snarled and was about to respond before Ginny cut him off. "I mean do you really think anyone could of just stabbed Voldemort in the back with a dagger?"

"This isn't Voldemort," Draco spat the name viciously. "This is a wack job whose taught himself a bit of Dark Magic. Once I integrate myself into his inner circle he'll never suspect me then it will be easy."

"Okay, assuming you're dealing with someone who is a complete idiot, then yeah it will work." Ginny took a step back and looked around the room again. She couldn't believe Draco had acquired all these objects. Some of them were broken and battered sitting on shelves looking worse for ware. Others though where in perfect condition polished into a shine. Some of them even seemed to glow with innate magic.

"Thats why your here." Draco said as he leaned back against a small ledge and crossed his arms. "On the off chance he isn't a complete idiot. I wish I had a better plan. I've gone through all the information both I and the aurors have. All I know is that he's performing ritual magic and he's hitting places filled with residual magic. If I could scout out all the places he could strike again I would, but I don't know where he could strike next.I wanted to bring you in just in case we are dealing with a real Dark Lord. If we are my plan is bust, and I'll probably need help."

"So you sent the other dagger over to Nott," Ginny said as she took a few steps back and leaned against a wall. "He's going to invite you to one of their parties...then what you just show up and play along?"

"For now yes." Draco said as he took a deep breath and looked down towards the ground. "My family has two distinct, but well deserved reputations. The magical community as a whole sees us as nasty dark wizards. The other side of that community sees us as traitors to the old ways." Draco reached up and ran his fingers through his beard gently. "Those reputations are well deserved, and I can use them both for this. It will take time but if I can integrate myself into that group I can start forming plans of attack. Those plans will be relayed to you, and you will be my backup."

"Why me?" Ginny asked raising an eyebrow. "I mean I'm a Weasley. You're a Malfoy, not really a match made in heaven."

"You're fierce." Draco said as he kicked himself off the ledge. "You fought against the Carrows in Hogwarts, fought in the final battle, and even dueled my father in the Department of Mysteries. I know you have the skill to take care of yourself. I know I can trust a Weasley to do the right thing. Plus as a bonus when Potter hears about this he'll be livid."

"So mostly to piss Harry off then." Ginny said with sneer that rivaled even Draco's.

"Did you just decide not to listen to the first few reasons." Draco stated as he crossed the room to a set of dark shelves on the far wall. "You may be a good fighter and a star quidditch player," Draco paused while he rummaged around a shelf moving items aside. "But you're still clearly, a woman. "

"Oy pig!" Ginny snapped as she stood up straight and glared at him.

"It's not my fault you all just hear what you want to." Draco said as he pulled a thin white sheet off one shelf and kept rummaging around. "I know I left a pair in here somewhere."

"Oh yeah and men never do that." Ginny said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

Draco ignored her as he moved a small box to the left on the shelf in front of him. Sitting behind the shelf sat a pair of hand mirrors. They where shimmering slightly in the small rays of light that slipped through the shadows. The hand mirrors where just small enough that one of them could rest gently in the palm of his hand. They were square shaped with thin handworked borders made of pure gold. The glass was pristine and polished to a brilliant shine. Draco reached in and picked them both up gently. "Found them."

"Found what?" Ginny snapped as she came closer to him. She was still irritated at Draco, and she was trying not to shout at him.

"These," Draco turned and held out his hands. Sitting in the palm of his hands where two mirrors. Ginny reached out and gently picked one up. The mirror was so thin she feared that if she tightened her grip anymore it would crack. Along the mirror was thin lines of very intricate gold work. As she held it closer to her face she could see small but precise rune work carved gently into the gold.

"What are they?"

"They're two way mirrors. Just picture my face and say my name, and my mirror will let me know you want to speak to me. Then we can talk to each other through them." Draco took a step forward and pointed at the runes. "You see most mirrors like this are enchanted, but these work via the runes. That means the enchantment will never wear out. They've also been spelled to be unbreakable and to stay clean. I found these in Florence in a muggle market actually. The seller didn't even know what he had." Draco stopped and smiled fondly at the memory. "I had to redo most of the rune work myself."

Ginny looked up and peered into Draco's eyes. His normally frosty blue-grey eyes had softened somewhat and he had a small smile on his face. Ginny had never seen him smile like that before. Not genuinely at least. It was always some kind of sneer, smirk, or snarl. Ginny swallowed hard and looked back at the mirrors.

"Took me weeks to redo them. Spent hours going over translations. They're one of the first things I ever restored." Draco sounded prideful, but not the way he usually did. His tone was softer almost gentle. Ginny looked back at him and just took it in for a moment.

"What are you staring at Weasley?" Ginny was pulled from her trance as Draco called out to her. "Have a thing for my pretty face?"

"Thats disgusting," Ginny said with snort. "Like anyone would ever consider you to be pretty."

"A few fair maidens have."

"Pansy doesn't count. She looks like a dog."

"Beauty is in eye of the beholder." Draco said with a smirk as he held his mirror up, and then slid it into his pocket. "This is how we'll communicate. If you miss my call so to speak the mirror will glow blue until you call back. Once I make contact with Nott, and get a location I'll reach out to you and we'll work on expanding the plan you don't like." Draco started to leave the room and Ginny followed behind him.

"Why are you doing all of this?" Ginny asked quietly as she descended the stairs behind him.

"Why are you?"

* * *

 _Harry was standing in the middle of a bright white void. Looking around he saw nothing at all. There weren't any walls, ceilings, or floors. It was just nothing. It was like he was floating in an empty room of light. Swallowing he took a hesitant step forward. It was solid. Harry started walking around the room cautiously. Was he dead? Was he dreaming? Harry screwed his eyes shut and tried to recall his most recent memories. He was at Hermione's house? Then? Nothing it slipped away like water through his fingers and faded away._

 _"Why did you kill me?" Harry turned so fast he thought he'd snap his neck. The voice was recognizable even after all these years. Ron was standing there a few paces from him. Wearing the same scruffy jeans and shirt he'd been wearing the day he died. His skin was paler than Harry had ever seen it. Making his freckles stand out like hot burning coals on his skin. His flaming red hair was long and unkept. Dark bags rested under his once shining blue eyes. Harry's eyes darted to his neck and he clenched his teeth. A think long dark purple bruise wrapped around the center of his neck._

 _"You killed yourself mate." Harry said softly as he took a step back. His hands where shaking, and his heart was starting to beat rapidly._

 _"Did I?" Ron asked as she started to walk towards Harry. "I didn't owl you everyday? I didn't beg you to come see me? I didn't stop coming down for dinner? Or coming to your office? I didn't come over at three in the morning begging for company? You didn't turn away and ignore all that?" Ron was still walking towards Harry his face neutral._

 _Harry could feel his breath starting to catch his chest. His legs started to feel numb, and his fingers were tingling._

 _"What about me?" Harry turned and saw Justin standing there bloody. His clothes had been ripped to shreds and large gaping wounds covered his torso. Like gaping red maws of death. "What's your excuse for that one? Did I go and get myself killed?"_

 _"It was a mission. We knew the risks." Harry said in a breathy voice. The white room was starting to spin. Screwing his eyes closed he shook his head hard._

 _"You're right we did know the risks." Justin said as he took a step forward._

 _"Get back!"_

 _"You ignored them. Sent me off without backup. Ignored every warning sent your way. You were too busy trying to play the hero, the tough guy. So high on potions you couldn't even hear your own instincts shouting at you!" Justin's face was screwed up in anger as he shouted at Harry._

" _You wouldn't of even survived long enough to join the Aurors if it wasn't for me!" Harry shouted back his fists clenched. His hands and legs where starting to go numb. "I saved you both! multiple times! When is it enough!"_

" _You think you saved them?" The voice came from behind Harry like a soft whisper._

 _The words seemed to caress his ears gently. Stumbling Harry turned around and emerald found scarlet. Voldemort's paper thin lips curled into a cruel smile. His slit like nostrils flared as he seemed to chuckle softly._

 _"I saved them all. I killed you!"_

 _"Killed me? You lucked into it. If you hadn't disarmed young Malfoy at his manor then you'd be dead right now. You really think you could of matched me? Even without the Elder Wand I was and still am superior to you." Voldemort's cruel smile faded as his face contorted darkly. His lips curled up, "you live by chance!" Voldemort darted forward, as quick as smoke. He wrapped his long spider like fingers around Harry's chin, and shouted. "You saved no one! You stumbled blindly into your victory like a fool! Once I return I will reign hellfire down on you! I will burn everything you love to the ground! No more Horcrux, no more Dumbledore, no more Snape, and no more friends! Nothing and no one to protect you! Your next death will be your last Potter. You will watch gasping for air. Drowning in your own blood, as I take the life of everyone you have left."_

"Argh," Harry shot up his chest heaving. The room was spinning around muted colors blended together blurring everything. Harry could feel his heart firing away in chest like a machine gun. Harry turned and tried to get out of bed. Harry tried to stand, and collapsed to his knees onto the floor. Harry's legs were numb and tingling.

"Harry," The voice was muffled, and Harry couldn't tell where it was coming from. Harry was heaving trying to catch his breath. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried, Harry couldn't catch his breath.

"I can't breath," he gasped out at the muffled voice. "Potion, I need my potion."

"No more potion," the voice said softly.

"Hermione. Please." Harry gasped, finally realising it was Hermione's voice.

Hermione kneeled down next to Harry. Hermione reached out and gently took his face in her hands. "Just listen to my voice and breath Harry," she said softly. She pressed her forehead against his despite the sweat. "Just breathe with me Harry." Hermione took a deep breath, and held it in, then released it slowly. "Come on, just breath with me," she whispered again.

Harry inhaled deeply, and held it in, then when released it slowly. Harry quickly fell in sync with Hermione's breathing. By the fifth breath the world was starting to come into focus. Opening his eyes Harry leaned back, pulling away from Hermione. Looking around, Harry started to remember where he was. He was in Hermione's guest room. It was a dull room with cream colored walls, and plush off white carpet. Everything about the room was plain. His eyes shifted back towards Hermione. She was fully dressed in an ankle length black skirt and white blouse. Her forehead was covered in his sweat. Lifting his hand he waved it gently, and the sweat disappeared.

"Thank you," he mumbled sat down stretched his legs out. His hands pressed into the soft off-white carpet, supporting him. A thick layer of sweat clung to his bare torso. The sweat gave his pale white skin and unhealthy looking shean. The only light in the room was breaking through around the edges of the curtains. Hermione sat down on the carpet in front of him. She was looking at him with the same concern she always did. Harry resisted the urge to snap at her.

"What were you dreaming of?" Hermione asked. She turned her face away from Harry's, but her eyes stayed glued to his.

"You know, dead people, just the usual." Harry replied back as he turned his head up to look at the ceiling. "I didn't break anything did I?" Harry asked as he continued to stare up. He didn't want to see her face. He didn't want to see that disgusting look of pity. The look someone gave someone else when they couldn't even control themselves.

"No," she replied softly tearing her eyes away from his face. Hermione stared at the wall for a few moments. They had descended into an uncomfortable silence. Neither of them knew what to say to the other. Hermione knew that if she said the wrong the thing to Harry right now, he'd snap at her. He was deeply ashamed of his panic attacks, and what they had done to him.

Harry clenched is teeth, and moved to stand up. "We need to figure out what that ritual is." Harry reached over, and held his hand out to Hermione. Hermione took his hand, and let Harry gently pull her to her feet. She was slightly surprised he had the strength to do it. "I'm going to Hogwarts. If anyone knows what that ritual is its them."

"You sure you want to do that?" Hermione asked as she straightened her skirt out. "We can check through the books at Grimmauld Place. Not to mention the library down in the DoM."

"I've read every book in the Black Library. I don't remember every single one of them, but I'd remember a ritual like this. If we scour all the books we have access to, and turn up nothing we've wasted our time. Let's start at the end, and work our way back." Harry pulled on the same pair of pants he'd worn the day before. "I'm going outside." He said shortly he walked past Hermione, not even bothering to grab a shirt.

"Are you sure you should go see them?" Hermione asked. They both could hear the subtext in the question. Was Harry sure he wanted to go see them after this morning. Hermione had followed Harry out of the room, which was right across from hers.

"Its for the best." Harry said shortly as he made his down the stairs, and into the hallway. Harry, knew Hermione had the right to be concerned. That didn't stop him from resenting the question though. Harry made his way into the kitchen and walked over to the table. Reaching for a pen he grabbed a piece of scrap paper, and started scribbling down a list.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked as she leaned over his shoulder, and looked at the list. _Whiskey, pants, shirts, underwear, socks…_ it was a list of items Harry needed. As well as what looked like a grocery list.

"Well you don't have anything here." Harry said as he finished the list, and tossed the pen back on the table. "I need my clothes and some decent whiskey. Not to mention you don't have any food." Harry stood back up, and with a flick of his wrist his wand shot out from the invisible holster on his arm. It was a standard issued auror wand holster. It stuck to the inside of the arm, and couldn't be summoned or removed without the right code phrase. It was also invisible to all, but the wearer. Harry moved his wand in a quick circle and tapped the paper with the tip. The paper burst into flame, and disappeared. "Kreacher and Winky will take care of everything." Harry said as he flicked his wand, and shot back into the holster.

"You've relied on them a lot over the last few years haven't you?" Hermione asked softly. There was a time when she was sure Harry would kill Kreacher the first chance he got. Now it seemed Harry needed him for almost everything.

"They wear clothes, and have their own floor in the house." Harry said defensively. "I let them buy themselves whatever they want."

"That's not what I meant Harry. It just seems like you've gotten close with them." Hermione knew now wasn't the right to lecture him on house-elf rights.

"Yeah I guess." Harry said back as he made his way out back. Harry propped the door open with another a wave of his hand. Stepping out onto the stone pathway Harry felt the morning sun beating down on his skin. Harry closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. With a sigh he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Harry slid one between his lips, and lit it with a snap of his fingers.

"Where did you go this morning?" Harry asked as he took a deep drag off his cigarette.

"Did I wake you up?" Hermione asked as she leaned up against the side of the house next to Harry.

"No, but your already fully dressed, and its only about 8. Which means you got up around 5 or 6 to get ready. You wouldn't just sit around for three hours you'd go to work. Since your here, and not at work, you went somewhere."

"I remember when I was the clever one." Hermione chucked softly as she looked away. She was staring through her open back door her eyes fixated on the kitchen.

"You're still going then?" It was rhetorical question. Harry took another drag from his smoke, and looked back into the yard. The dark comforting void was gone now. The rest of the world was illuminated by the light. It was no longer comforting and safe. Now it was open and bright. Life was happening all around, and anything could happen now. It was unsettling. Harry was trying to resist the urge to crawl back to Grimmauld Place and take his potions.

"Molly said she invited you to dinner this Sunday." Hermione said softly. "I told her you where staying with me for a while. She asked if we were coming." Harry said nothing he just stared out into the yard. Not for the first time did Hermione wish she could get inside Harry's head. It was so hard to tell what he was thinking and feeling sometimes. Some things never changed. "Do you want to go?"

"Do you?" Harry snapped back looking at her. "Do you want to sit there with his whole family and eat dinner together? After what we did?"

"They don't blame us Harry."

"They should."

"Ginny will be there. Maybe you two can talk about things." Hermione didn't know why she said that. A part of her was curious to see how Harry felt about Ginny still. She knew Ginny still had feelings for Harry even if she denied it.

"Doesn't matter. Me and Ginny are over for good. I don't have anything to say to her." Harry said as he took one final drag from his cigarette.

A small part of Hermione was relieved to hear that. She frowned to herself, and looked down at the ground. 'Why do I feel relieved?' She asked herself. 'If Harry and Ginny did get back together it would be a good thing for him.' Hermione shook her head trying to clear her mind. 'She didn't deserve him anyway.' That last intrusive thought flew through her mind, and before she could question it further she was interrupted.

With a small pop Kreacher appeared before them. He was dressed up in a tiny black suit. "Master, I've brought your clothes and Whiskey. The clothes are in your room, and the Whiskey is in the kitchen." Kreacher bowed low to and straightened up as much as he could."Winky will bring the groceries when she's finished getting them."

"Thanks." Harry said shortly as he tossed his cigarette aside. It disappeared before it hit the ground. "I'll send for you if I need anything else. In the meantime you two just keep Grimmauld Place up."

"Of course, Master." Kreacher said before bowing down one last time. With a small pop he disappeared once again.

"You should get to work." Harry said as he walked towards the kitchen. "I'm gonna clean up, and run some errands. You should make sure Neville meets with his team today. Have him get some people out there patrolling those areas."

"What errands are you running?" Hermione asked following Harry back into the house.

"It doesn't matter." Harry said shortly. He made his way over to the kitchen table where a crystal decanter had been set down. It was filled with whiskey. Pulling out the stopper Harry took the decanter and took two large drinks from it.

"Its 8:30 in the morning." Hermione said in a defeated tone. She knew it was useless to say anything.

"Its this or the potion." Harry said as he cleared his throat and set the decanter down. Harry placed the stopper back in. "Have a good day at work."

* * *

"Shouldn't you be at work?" Susan asked as she looked down at Neville. He was laying on his back in bed. Susan was laying on her side propping herself up with her elbow. Her head was resting gently in her were in Susan's small cottage on the outskirts of Hogsmeade.

"Why would I be at work when you're here?" Neville asked with a small smile. Reaching up he gently ran his fingers through her auburn hair. Leaning forward Neville kissed her gently. As he pulled away he snaked his arms around her back, and pulled her on top of him. Susan let out a loud laugh as she slipped, and fell on top of him. "I mean I guess I could do this with Seamus, but I think Kent might get angry."

"Is that so?" Susan asked as she crossed her arms on Neville's chest. She rested her chin on her arms, and smirked at him. "Maybe all three of you can have go." Neville scrunched up his face. "Yeah that's what I thought." Susan rolled off Neville letting the blanket fall off of her. She stood up, and looked down at him. "Get to work you have a killer to catch."

Neville watched as she sauntered off towards the bathroom, and couldn't help but admire her naked body. Neville quickly sprang out of bed, and followed her into the bathroom. Neville grabbed her by the waist and and lifted her up. She let out a small screen as he carried her into the shower.

"Maybe after our shower." Neville said huskily as he closed the curtain quickly. Leaning over he kissed her passionately, and turned on the tap. Magically heated water sprayed down over them causing Susan to jump as it hit her skin.

"Prat," she whispered as she pulled away from him. "You got my hair wet."

"Sorry," Neville said unconvincingly as he kissed her again. "You were the one who wanted me to get to work. I couldn't wait for you to get done in here."

"I was going to the bathroom to pee," She said breathily breaking the kiss again.

"Can't afford to waste any time," Neville replied back. Neville pulled her closer to himself and laid a trail of kisses down her jaw line. "I have a killer to catch."

"Morning Seamus," Dean said as he entered their kitchen. He was dressed in a pair of slacks, and button down blue shirt. "Morning Kent."

"Morning Dean," Kent said with a small smile. He was tall man with dark hair, and bright blue eyes. He and Seamus where sitting at the table eating eggs and bacon. Kent was already dressed in a pair of navy blue dress robes. Seamus as always was in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. "There's some for you on the stove." He said motioning towards the stove.

"Oy those were for me." Seamus said breaking his silence. "My second helping."

"You've already had seconds this morning," Kent said with a small smirk.

"You two...are perfect for eachother." Dean said softly as he poured himself a cup of tea. "You going to behave today Seamus?"

"Yeah, if Anthony doesn't act like such a cunt."

"Something happen at the office yesterday?" Kent asked as he reached over and plucked a piece of bacon from his plate.

"Just some cunt at the office. Talking about things he doesn't understand." Seamus said as he shoved a fork full of fried eggs into his mouth.

"Well don't worry about it dear. Just ignore him." Kent said as he stood up, and stretched. "Well I better get going. Those curses aren't going to break themselves." Leaning down he gave Seamus a quick kiss before waving at Dean.

"Have a good one Kent." Dean said as he raised his mug towards him. After taking another sip of his tea Dean looked down at his watch. "Come one Seamus. It's about time for us to go."

"Go on without me. Gotta shower still." Seamus said as he reached over and took a piece of bacon Kent left on his plate.

"One of these days Neville is gonna fire you." Dean sighed as he finished his tea. Reaching over the stove he picked up a few pieces of bacon and started walking out. "See you at the office." Seamus heard Dean walk out into the living room, and then there was the tell tale wosh of Floo.

* * *

Harry was standing in front of a worn down door. The sun was climbing higher into the sky as the morning dragged on. Harry was at the Market Estate in Islington. Reaching up with his fist clenched he banged on the door a few times. After a few moments of silence he reached up and banged on it again.

"Who the fuck is it!" A loud voice shouted. There was what sounded like loud stomping noises and a few clicks and the door swung open. Standing in the doorway with a nasty look on her face was Jessica. She pressed her hand to the door frame and leaned forward. Her dark hair was a mess, and she was dressed in a pair of boy shorts and a ratty tank top. "You're a right prat you know. I just got to sleep." Jessica's face relaxed a bit, and she let out a loud yawn. "What are you doing here anyway. I thought you'd decided to go out and figure your life out."

Harry walked past her ducking under her arm. "I need to talk." He said shortly as he ducked into her small flat. It was tiny with a small cramped kitchen and living room. There was a small battered loveseat in the living room along with an old TV. Not much else could fit in to the room. Even if she wanted to add more.

"Well by all means just come right the fuck in then." Jessica said with a scoff as she shut the door. "You're cute, mysterious, and just the right amount of arsehole. So I usually give you a break. Just cause we've had a couple of good nights though doesn't mean you can just show up here. Especially when I'm sleeping."

"Merlin do you ever stop complaining about things?" Harry asked as he made his way into her kitchen. The kitchen was about three steps wide and four steps long. Harry had a lot of things wrong with him, but claustrophobia surprisingly wasn't one of them. Though to his surprise even he felt uncomfortable tight in the kitchen.

"Merlin?" Jessica asked pulling a face. "What the fuck does that mean? And anyway who the fuck are you? Coming in here waking me up rummaging around my kitchen. You have some balls on you to do all this and then complain about me complaining about you..complaining..whatever you get the point!"

Harry ignored her and reached into the top set of cabinets over the kitchen sink. Reaching in he pulled out a half empty bottle of whisky. Turning the bottle over he looked over the label and wrinkled his nose. "I figured you'd have something better than this cheap garbage." Harry turned around and started looking for glasses.

"We're not all rich." Jessica said as she leaned against the cabinets and shot Harry a dark look. "Give me a cigarette." She said shortly as she leaned her head back against her wall.

Harry pulled a few whiskey glasses from the shelf set them down on the linoleum counter. Reaching into his jean pockets he pulled out his pack and tossed them over to her without looking.

Jessica pulled the pack open and pressed her lips to the tip of one of the cigarettes. She gently grabbed the end of the filter with her teeth and pulled it out. She threw the pack on the counter and started to reach for a lighter. Without looking back Harry snapped his fingers, and the end of the cigarette burst to life.

"Here you go," Harry said as he turned around and handed her a glass of whiskey. Harry tipped the glass to lips and finished off in two large sips. Turning back around he grabbed the stem of the bottle and poured himself another glass.

"A little early for all that isn't it?" Jessica raised her eyebrow at the man standing in the kitchen. "I thought you were getting your shit together."

"What do you think this is?" Harry asked lifting the glass. "This is me trying."

"And failing," Jessica replied as she turned against the cabinet and kicked herself up. Harry reached over and grabbed his cigarettes and followed her into the slightly larger living room.

"I'm trying to get off some the...the medications I was on." Harry had almost said potions before correcting himself.

"Well as the woman whos not your sober coach, I think you're supposed to quit drinking when you get sober." Jessica said as she threw herself down on her battered loveseat. "What do I know though? I'm just a barkeep."

"It's not that easy." Harry said as he drew out a cigarette and stuck it between his lips. "It's harder than I thought it would be. It's….its been years since I've felt anything like this. Its like every end of my nerves is burning and itching. I need this." Harry said lifting his glass.

"Well that's life. It sucks and then its over." Jessica raised her glass. "Welcome to the party luv." Jessica took a drink and shot a look back at Harry who was now sitting next to her. "What are you here for? I mean what can I possibly give you besides the obvious that would make you feel any better." Jessica let out a short laugh at her own dirty joke before taking another drink.

"Thank you for the offer, but I don't see how herpes would make my life any better right now."

"Oy you prick!" Jessica lifted up her foot and kicked Harry roughly in the side. He let out a shout and grabbed his ribs. "I told you I had a cold."

"I don't know what the bloody hell I'm doing." Harry said softly not bothering to comment on Jessica's last statement. He looked down at his glass and gently rolled it around. He watched as the amber liquid swirled around the sides of the glass. "Thats a lie...I know exactly what I'm doing." Harry finished his drink and set his glass down on the rickety table in front of him. "I thought it would be easy, but when I left this morning to go do it I lost my nerve and came here."

"Well...what is it you were doing? Going to do? I'm already lost."

"I need answers and I need them as soon as possible. I could waste days looking for them...or I can go to someone who will probably have them. Someone I haven't seen in a very long time, and I-I don't know how I feel about him."

"Was he like your boyfriend?" Jessica asked with a sly smile.

"No...He was my mentor." Harry swallowed hard and looked and set his eyes on a small crack in the the off white wall in front of him. "He wanted me to die...He set me up...Told me that I could do something...that I was the only one who could do it. The truth was though during the whole time I knew him, he was setting me up to die but hoping I'd survive. I won't say he didn't care if I lived or died….but he cared about the greater good more." Harry let out a sarcastic chuckle and looked back at Jessica who was frowning at him. "Funny how some people change but they don't really change, you know what I mean?"

"Not really...I'm guessing it's an army thing?"

"Yeah it was...we had an enemy team...and my commanding officer told me I had to be the one to lead the fight...but really he was setting me up to die so someone else could attack later." Harry said looking away from her. Not for the first time Harry debated about just telling her the truth.

"You know, you make me feel better about my life." Jessica said as she leaned back into the couch. "The shit you say sometimes." She shook her head and looked at him. "I don't know if you're lying or not half the time but either way you're a way bigger mess than I am."

"Very true," Harry said letting out a laugh. "I can't argue with that." Harry sniffed and ran his hand over his chin.

"You know all this is your choice. You can do whatever the hell you want. That's the only benefit to being an adult. We have bills, and jobs, and chores, and family obligations, and dozens of other things we have to deal with. It sucks. Dealing with shit. Especially the hard shit. This sounds like it might be part of the hard shit." Jessica leaned back against the arm of the love seat and looked at Harry. "You don't have to though. You can stay right here with me. Maybe have a roll in the sack and head out to the pub later. Then you could go home, or to France, or back here to my place again. Doesn't matter." Jessica took a deep breath and finished her drink. "The real question isn't do you want to go see this mentor of yours. It's really more about what kind of person do you want to be? Do you want to stay here and say fuck all that other shit and do whatever you want? Or do you want to go there and look him in the eye and show him that you don't give a shit? Show him that what he did doesn't affect you and that you could give a fuck less about him."

"I fucking hate you." Harry said roughly as he finished his cigarette and stuffed it out in the ashtray on the table next to his glass.

"Don't act like you didn't come here to hear exactly that."

"I guess you're right. I could of gone anywhere else." Harry stopped and looked back at Jessica and gave her a small smile.

"So are we gonna fuck….? Because if not I could use some sleep."

"Well you make it sound so tempting." Harry said as he stood up and stretched, "but I like a challenge." Harry shot her a smirk and started to head towards the door. "I'll get out of your hair for now."

"Yeah maybe try calling next time." Jessica said as she followed him to the door. "Good luck with whatever it is you end up doing."

"Thanks," Harry said as he pulled open her door and stepped outside.

"Maybe it's just me, but I'd tell that fucker off if I ever saw him again." Jessica leaned against the door frame. "You know if you do end up seeing him."

"Sounds like you." Harry said as he started walking away. "See you around, have a good one." Harry heard the door shut as he made his way to the stairwell. Harry took the first few steps and stopped. He stared down at the dirty stone steps for a moment. Unsure of what he should do. Harry took a deep breath and shook his head. "God damn it," he swore under his breath. Before he turned on heel and disapperated.

 **A/N: Hey everyone! I know it's been a while but I'm not done yet! Please feel free to leave a review!**


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